Corrupt officials might be replaced

Corrupt officials might be replaced

JAKARTA: Governor Sutiyoso promised on Thursday to take stern
action against any city official found guilty of taking advantage
of post-flood projects.

"If (the officials) are found guilty, I will not hesitate to
replace them," Sutiyoso told reporters at City Hall.

The governor's comments follow a report saying the City Middle
and Higher Education Agency allegedly inflated the numbers of
schools it claimed were damaged, and exaggerated the damage
caused.

Sutiyoso said he regretted that the agency's head Sukesti
Martono had reportedly never inspected the damaged schools,
including the city's best state senior high school SMU 08 in
Bukit Duri, South Jakarta.

The school lodged a complaint with the Governor saying it had
to move to another building and pay rent of Rp 12.5 million a
month without any help from the agency.

The agency would receive Rp 3.2 billion (US$320,000) to repair
132 damaged schools but it had earlier claimed that as many as
152 schools were damaged by the floods, he said.

Sutiyoso often threatens to dismiss subordinates amid
allegations of corruption but many of the threats are just
bluffs. --JP