Corruption cases abound in local councils

Corruption cases abound in local councils

The Jakarta Post, Makassar/Pelembang/Pekanbaru/Samarinda

Prosecutors are unearthing more evidence of endemic corruption in
provincial administrations involving potential losses to the
state of billions of rupiah, with dozens of local councillors and
government officials allegedly involved.

The South Sulawesi Prosecutor's Office said it was
investigating at least 37 corruption cases that cost the state Rp
109.6 billion (US$12.1 million) in losses.

The cases included the misuse of Rp 70 billion in loans
allocated for farmers in almost all regencies in the province,
local chief prosecutor Prasetyo said in the provincial capital of
Makassar.

Another scam uncovered was the embezzlement of Rp 18.23
billion from the 2003 budget, allegedly implicating members of
the South Sulawesi legislative council. The case was being
handled by the provincial police, he said.

Prasetyo said his office was also looking into the alleged
markup in the purchase of a motor ferry, the Takabonerate, worth
more than Rp 6 billion, by the Selayar regency administration.

Selayar Regent Akib Patta and the local council's speaker
could have been involved in the case, he said.

In Palembang, South Sumatra Prosecutor's Office head Andi
Syarifuddin said the office was dealing with at least 20 graft
cases this year in several regencies and municipalities.

The cases included the misuse of Rp 8.7 billion allocated for
the Riding road project with a former public works office head
named a suspect, Andi said.

He said that in another case, Lahat deputy regent Zubir Ali
was charged with receiving double salaries valued at Rp 31
million, while provincial councillor Natsir Jakfar was implicated
in a fictitious Rp 51 million official trip to Malaysia.

Meanwhile, the Riau Prosecutor's Office said it was planning
to probe a corruption case at the Kampar regental council and
hoped the case would end up similarly to that of the West Sumatra
legislature, in which nearly all of its members were convicted.

Senior local prosecutor Dachamer Munthe said the case involved
43 of the 45 Kampar council members who allegedly received an
illegal installment of severance pay worth Rp 1.25 billion from
the 2004 budget. The remaining councillors would not be charged
because they had refused the money, he said.

The prosecution has submitted a request to the Riau governor
for permission to summon the 43 councillors.

However, Riau Governor Rusli Zainal said on Wednesday he had
yet to receive the request.

Asked whether he would grant permission once he got the
letter, he said it would depend on the existing rules. "We'll see
what the regulations say," he said.

Dachamer said his office would soon summon the treasurer of
the Kampar administration for questioning in an order to collect
more data and information on the case.

"If there is strong evidence, all the witnesses could be named
as suspects," he said.

He said his office would also examine alleged budget
misappropriations at the Pelalawan and Rokan Hilir regental
councils.

Meanwhile, prosecutors in East Kalimantan province have named
11 councillors and local officials as suspects in 16 corruption
cases, in which Rp 24 billion was allegedly siphoned from state
coffers.

Eleven corruption cases last year allegedly deprived the state
of Rp 5.7 billion, while the money recovered was only Rp 323.3
million, East Kalimantan Prosecutor's Office head D.H. Panjaitan
said.

He said the East Kutai Prosecutor's Office in Sanggata was
investigating a separate graft case worth Rp 46.6 billion,
allegedly involving 25 councillors.

"The East Kutai council's speaker has been named a suspect. It
is possible that all 25 councillors could be charged," Panjaitan
said.