Banten governor quizzed over graft

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang

Banten Governor Djoko Munandar was questioned as witness in a graft case on Thursday at the prosecutor's office, which has tightened its security following several threatening phone calls to the office.

The prosecutors posed questions related to the disbursement of about Rp 13.5 billion (US$1.5 million) to the Banten councillors last year. Five former councillors have been named suspects for allegedly misusing the money but only four have been detained.

"We would like to know the Governor's role in this case because he holds the authority over financial matters," chief prosecutor Kemas Yahya Rachman said.

Investigation head AK Basuni Masyarif said it was still too early to accuse Djoko of involvement in the misuse of the funds. Of the money, taken from the administration's reserve fund, Rp 10 billion was allotted to build a housing compound for councillors and another Rp 3.5 billion was for councillors' welfare. The money was taken from the administration's reserve fund.

When new council members started work in October, no work had been done on the housing compound.

Non-governmental organizations the South Banten Community Association (HIMBAS) and Western Java Forum (Forbaja) then reported the case to the prosecutors and urged for an investigation.

The four councillors who have been detained are former council speaker Dharmono K. Lawi, his former deputy Muslim Jamaludin, council secretary Tardian and former budget committee secretary Tuti Sutiah Indra.

The other suspect, the former deputy speaker who has been reelected, Mufrodi Muchsin, remains free as the prosecutor's office has been unable to obtain the consent from central government to question an active councillor.

It was not until after they detained councillors, that prosecutors started to receive threat calls, they said.

The Jakarta Post observed that metal detectors had been installed around the office building while all vehicles entering the office, on Jl. Raya Serang-Pandeglang, were tightly examined.

"I don't want to exaggerate things, but we have to stay alert following the arson attack on the house of the head of the Bengkulu prosecutor's office, Rusdi Taher, who is also handling a corruption case involving former councillors," Kemas said.