Councillors installed amid graft charges

KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi: Thirty councillors who were elected in the April 5 election this year were inaugurated on Wednesday in Kendari, amid an ongoing investigation into the alleged graft committed by their predecessors between 1999 and 2004.

The number of councillors this time around was increased to 30 from 25 previously due to the increase in the population of the municipality, which is the capital of Southeast Sulawesi province.

Eight out of the 30 new councillors have been ordered not to leave the city following alleged embezzlement of funds from Kendari's 2001 and 2002 municipal budgets. The eight are former Kendari councillors who were reelected in the April 5 elections. -- Antara