Councillor reported for graft

AMBON, Maluku: Maluku Corruption Watch (MCW) has reported a former Central Maluku senior councillor for alleged graft.

Azis Maulette, the former speaker of Central Maluku Regental Council, was reported to the Maluku Prosecutor's Office after a strong indication that he had embezzled part of a fund earmarked for the purchase of cattle in the regency, said Nasrullah Ely, the deputy director of MCW.

Nasrullah said that the graft case began when Azis, a councillor who served on the Central Maluku Regental Council for the 1999-2004 term and who is also a businessman, was awarded a contract to provide 50 cows and 150 chicken to cattle breeders in Tonetana subdistrict.

However, Azis has so far only given the breeders 27 cows and there is no sign that the remaining cows will be handed over to the breeders in the near future. -- JP