AG investigates forestry funds

AG investigates forestry funds

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya (Antara): The Attorney General's Office
will soon investigate the use of Rp 58 billion (about US$61.
million) in reforestation fund for the peat land project in West
Kalimantan province and the 1997 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in
Jakarta, Forestry Minister Nur Mahmudi Ismail said Saturday.

"We have handed over the case to the Attorney General's Office
for further investigation," Ismail said.

Some Rp 23 billion of the reforestation fund was used to
dredge the Mahakam River for the ambitious project to develop one
million hectares of peat land in West Kalimantan for planting
rice. The project, which needed Rp 527 billion, has long been
abandoned.

Until now, it is unclear how the fund was used, the minister
added.

He also noted that the State Secretariat had released Rp 35
billion to finance the 1997 Jakarta SEA Games.