Ex-councillors return haj funds

TANGERANG: Former members of Tangerang Council for the 1999- 2004 term have returned funds they received for a haj pilgrimage trip to regency coffers.

The move was made on Friday following the publication of audit results conducted by the State Audit Agency that showed irregularities in the use of billions of rupiah of budgetary funds in 2003 and 2004.

According to one of the councillors, Endang Sujana, who is currently council speaker, each counselor had to return Rp 37.5 million (US$3,970) for the haj pilgrimage, and Rp 17 million in "extra" funds.

The extra funds were distributed to all 42 councillors during their tenure, while the haj pilgrimage funds were only given to 15 councillors and two officials from the council secretariat office.

"We received the money during our last days in the council ... We didn't know that the money given to us was taken from the city budget," he said. --JP