Chorus grows for Puteh's suspension

Nani Afrida/Kurniawan Hari, Banda Aceh/Jakarta

Acehnese students and legislator called for the suspension of Governor Abdullah Puteh on Wednesday, one day after the powerful Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) declared him a graft suspect.

In Jakarta, the Ministry of Home Affairs's inspector general, S. Sarundajang, suggested that Puteh would not be suspended until the Aceh Legislative Council submitted a petition for his removal.

The appointment and dismissal of a governor can be done only with the approval of the president.

Dozens of students from Syiah Kuala University in the provincial capital Banda Aceh said on Wednesday that Puteh should be declared nonactive in order to allow the corruption investigation against him proceed without interference.

One of the students, Zulfikar, said he hoped President Megawati Soekarnoputri would appoint a caretaker governor to replace Puteh.

Puteh is the head of the civil emergency administration in Aceh, where the government recently ended a year-long military operation aimed at stamping out the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

Puteh was declared a graft suspect by the KPK on Tuesday for allegedly marking up the price of a Russian-made Mi-2 assault helicopter the Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam administration purchased in 2002.

According to the KPK, the Navy bought the same type of helicopter for Rp 6.1 billion, while the Aceh administration purchased its helicopter for Rp 12.6 billion.

The KPK has sent a summons to Puteh and expects to question him next week.

Local councillor Nasir Djamil, meanwhile, urged acting coordinating minister for political and security affairs Hari Sabarno to make good on his promise to suspend Puteh.

"The coordinating minister for political and security affairs promised to suspect Puteh once he was declared a graft suspect," said Nasir, though he did not say when Hari made the promise.

According to Nasir, the investigation into the alleged corruption should be expanded to include several other people believed to be involved in the matter.

"The legal process should not end with (Puteh). There are other people implicated in the matter," Nasir said without providing names.

The Aceh Police also are investigating the alleged markup by the Aceh administration on the purchase of used printing machines valued at Rp 4.2 billion. The machines, however, are not functioning.

Legal and human rights activist Hendardi said Puteh should be temporarily removed from office.

"Puteh should be suspended to prevent him from destroying or concealing evidence. With his power as governor, he could conceal evidence," Hendardi told The Jakarta Post.

I-box

Abdullah Puteh was born in the village of Meunasah Arun in East Aceh on July 4, 1948. He received his basic education at Sekolah Rakyat Indonesia and the Cot Plieng Muslim boarding school.

Puteh first became involved in political activities in high school, when he joined the Indonesian Muslim Students Union.

After graduating from high school in Langsa, Aceh, he moved to Bandung, West Java, to study at the Public Works Technology and Electric Power Academy. While studying in Bandung, he joined the Islamic Students Association (HMI) and later became chairman of the HMI's Bandung chapter.

After completing his studies, Puteh returned to Langsa where he was appointed head of the Langsa Public Works Office at the age of 26. He also joined the Indonesian Youth National Movement (KNPI), a youth wing of Golkar.

In 1984, he enrolled at the Bandung Institute of Technology and continued his activities in the HMI and KNPI. Puteh met Akbar Tandjung through the HMI.

Puteh later joined Golkar and became a member of the House of Representatives representing the party.

He was inaugurated as Aceh governor on Nov. 25, 2000, by then minister of home affairs Soerjadi Soedirja.

Puteh is married to Linda Poernomo and the couple have a daughter, Raudha Putri Nurul.