Councillors allegedly misused 2004 budget

BULUNGAN, East Kalimantan: Thirty Bulungan Council members are suspected of misusing almost Rp 1 billion of the regency's 2004 budget, a senior East Kalimantan prosecutor disclosed on Wednesday.

Syakhrony, spokesman of the East Kalimantan Prosecutor's Office, said the councillors had planned a trip to Jakarta in April for a comparative study, but had changed their itinerary at the last minute and traveled to Singapore instead.

The councillors had been accompanied by their wives, raising suspicion as to whether they had conducted a comparative study. The "comparative study" cost the regency a staggering Rp 934 million (US$99,361). -- JP