Eight more councils face graft probes

Eight more councils face graft probes

Syofiardi Bachyul Jb, Padang

After helping jail almost all members of the West Sumatra
legislative council for corruption, prosecutors here are
currently investigating new graft scams in at least eight
regental and municipal councils.

Around 100 councillors have been named as suspects in the
scandals over the misuse of budgets, and more than 50 others are
being questioned as witnesses.

West Sumatra Prosecutor's Office head Muchtar Arifin has said
at least 23 of the 45 Padang municipal council members are being
tried for allegedly embezzling Rp 10.4 billion (US$1.15 million).

The remaining 22 councillors await similar trials after their
case files were forwarded to the Padang District Court.

They were also accused of misusing 900 plane tickets for
official trips for personal gains

Seven other councils also plagued by graft are those in
Sawahlunto Sijunjung, Pesisir Selatan, Payakumbuh, Solok City,
Padang Pariaman, Tanah Datar and Solok regency.

At least 31 of the 35 Sawahlunto Sijunjung council members,
including their three leaders, were charged with misusing Rp 1.2
billion from the regency's 2002 budget. The prosecution is
completing their case files.

The council's speaker and his two deputies have been detained
at Muara Padang prison since June 29. "They are being held to
assist the investigations," Muchtar said on Wednesday.

He said Pesisir Selatan council speaker Zamzami was also
declared a suspect for allegedly receiving a double salary, both
as a councillor and a teacher at the State Islamic Senior High
School (MAN) in Painan.

For the corruption scam worth Rp 350 million at the Payakumbuh
municipal council, 23 of 26 members are suspects. Its speaker,
Chin Star, was arrested on June 2 by the West Sumatra Police, who
are investigating the matter.

Prosecutors are also questioning all 20 Solok municipal
council members as witnesses in an alleged markup in a bus
terminal construction project that may cost the state Rp 900
million in losses. A key suspect is the director of a private
development firm.

Also, all 40 members of the Solok regental council face
another graft investigation as witnesses. They could be charged
with manipulating a report on funds allocated for an official
trip to the West Nusa Tenggara capital of Mataram in April 2003.

The trip took only two days but the council's accountability
report said the visit lasted 10 days.

"The trip was also participated in by 20 journalists, 10
government officials and staff members of the council
secretariat," Muchtar said.

He said his office was also looking into a Rp 193 million
corruption allegation at Tanah Datar regental council and another
corruption scam at Padang Pariaman council.

However, no suspects have been named, as investigations
continue.

In May, Padang District Court jailed more than three-quarters
of the West Sumatra council for between two years and 27 months
for graft amounting to Rp 5.9 billion, but the convicts remain
free, pending appeals.

The conviction was part of a flurry of investigations into
graft across Indonesia, which the Transparency International
watchdog group says is one of the world's most graft-prone
countries.

Legal authorities have denied the move was aimed at boosting
President Megawati Soekarnoputri's image as she is contesting the
July 5 presidential election. She has widely been criticized for
doing little to combat unchecked corruption.

The Attorney General's Office reported recently the number of
legislators implicated in corruption cases nationwide had
increased from 270 in May to 300 in June.