Councillors accused of stripping cars

BEKASI: Mayor Akhmad Zurfaih said on Tuesday 18 former councillors had stripped the air conditioners and radios from their official cars before returning the vehicles to the Bekasi Council.

Zurfaih said four of the 22 official cars had yet to be returned. He gave an Oct. 9 deadline, one month after the inauguration of the new councillors, for the four cars to be returned.

"I am disappointed by this behavior," he was quoted as saying by Antara, adding that he wanted the former councillors immediately to return the air conditioners and radios to the City Council secretary.

He also said the former councillors had failed to follow procedure and return the cars to the City Council, instead handing them over directly to the new councillors.

New council member Tumai of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) said he received an official car without an air conditioner or radio. -- Antara