Chorus grows for Puteh's suspension
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.