Doctor named graft suspect

MEDAN, North Sumatra: Prosecutors have named a doctor from a local hospital a suspect in the embezzlement of money earmarked for health projects last year.

Head of the Medan Prosecutor's Office Nawir Anas said on Wednesday that the suspect, identified only as 45-year-old Dr. DN, had illegally taken a 30 percent commission from hospital projects funded by the fuel subsidy.

Nawir did not mention the value of the projects. Last year, Medan received a Rp 21.9 billion (about US$2.4 million) fuel subsidy.

The central government disbursed the funds to alleviate the impact of higher fuel prices on the poor, after its move to gradually eliminate fuel subsidies for the general public.

Nawir said the suspect worked at the Adam Malik General Hospital in Medan. Prosecutors, he added, had so far questioned 25 witnesses in connection with the case.

"In the near future we will question him (Dr. DN) again, but this time as a suspect and not as a witness," he said. -- Antara