Health officials suspected of hoarding
Fadli, The Jakarta Post, Batam
Batam councillors are currently investigating an alleged hoarding of drug and medical equipment worth Rp 3 billion by local health officials.
Saptono Mustakim, one of the four councillors assigned to look into the allegation, said Thursday that the lawmakers were responding to a report made about the alleged absence of medical supplies in local public health centers.
"We will continue to seek facts and data on the alleged hoarded medicines in the pharmaceutical storehouse and submit them to the prosecution office after getting valid proof of deviation," he told The Jakarta Post.
Meanwhile, Batam Health Office head Puardi Djarius said that he was ready to face any consequences if the city legislature made the decision to prosecute.
"We are ready to be examined because there is no such hoarding of medicines. It's just the councillors' wrong perception," said Puardi, adding that the regional audit board had evaluated the performance of his office.
He admitted that one third of the medical supplies were piled in the warehouse for reserve purposes while the rest had been distributed.
Zulkarnain, chief of the Batam prosecution office, told The Post that he was ready to follow up on the alleged health office budget deviation as soon as he acquired adequate evidence.
Husbandri of the Batam Corruption Watch, however, urged the prosecution office to conduct its own investigation instead of waiting for the report from the legislature.
He cautioned the prosecution office over the possibility of a conspiracy between the legislature and the Batam administration to cover up the case as it involved key officials.
Meanwhile, Deputy Mayor Asman Abnur has been accused of nepotism in placing Puardi --his brother in law-- in his current position.
Puardi denied the charge by indicating that he himself and his other two relatives were career officials already assigned to the office since 1989, while Asman assumed the post of Deputy Mayor only in the middle of 2001.