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