Graft plagues Padang council, 41 members named suspects

Kasparman Piliang, The Jakarta Post, Padang, West Sumatra

At least 41 members of the Padang Legislative Council in West Sumatra have been named suspects in a corruption case causing Rp 8.9 billion in losses to the state, prosecutors said here on Thursday.

Padang Prosecutor's Office head Tarmizi Mal said investigators had obtained sufficient evidence to charge the councillors with involvement in the corruption case after as many as 24 people had been questioned as witnesses

They include council speaker Maigus Nasir and his deputies Chairul Indra and Muhidi, he said. The three senior councillors were also among those declared suspects.

Tarmizi said the investigation found irregularities in the drafting of the 2001-2002 budget for the Padang administration.

The case surfaced a few months ago after the Padang Prosecutor's Office received a report from the local office of the Indonesian Youth National Committee (KNPI).

The report accused councillors of corruption by marking up funds allocated in the budget for their routine spending, official trips and several welfare allowances.

The alleged misappropriation caused around Rp 8.9 billion in losses to the state as the money was illegally pocketed by the councillors, Tarmizi said.

He promised to immediately summons the 41 councillors for questioning as suspects. "In the near future, we will submit their case files to the Padang District Court," he added.

The chief prosecutor said his office had asked permission from the Military Police to question councillors from the military- police faction in the legislature.

"We sent a letter requesting permission on Tuesday," he said.

A similar case of corruption also hit the West Sumatra Provincial Legislative Council with several of its members standing trial at the Padang District Court.