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.