Hundreds demand probe into NTB graft allegations

Luh Putu Trisna Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara

Hundreds of people staged a rally here on Wednesday to demand an investigation into allegations of corruption in the West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) administration, involving some Rp 6.7 billion (US$788,235).

The protesters from at least six community groups marched to the provincial prosecutor's office to convey their demand.

They urged prosecutors to summon the outgoing West Nusa Tenggara governor, Harun Al Rasyid, all members of the provincial legislative council and the council secretary for questioning over the graft case.

The results of the investigation should be made public, they asserted.

"We voted for the councillors, but they have eaten our money. Fire them all," shouted one protester.

The peaceful protest was the third in one week by a number of local groups.

The demonstrations centered on the alleged mark-up of funds allocated in the 2003 budget for the council's expenses which were raised up to Rp 6.7 billion.

The expenses were not in compliance with Gubernatorial Decree No. 90/2001, which should have been used as a reference in drafting NTB's budget.

Based on the decree, the annual expenses for the council speaker and all other councillors must not exceed Rp 2.6 billion. But the 2003 budget allocated Rp 3.9 billion for them. So the mark-up amounted to Rp 1.3 billion.

The allocations for numerous allowances were allegedly also marked up for the council members' personal gain.

However, chairman of the council's budget committee Kushardi Anggrat denied the allegations of fund misuse in the legislature.

"The expenses are indeed not in line with Decree No. 90/2001. But if there are mark-ups, you should not only blame us because the funds are reimbursed according to the list of projects approved by the administration," he said.

A similar denial also came from the treasurer of the council secretariat Lalu Supartha. "There are no irregularities in the allocation for the council's expenses. It is according to procedures."

Supartha said the duties of councillors should be supported by funding in line with the revenue of the West Nusa Tenggara administration.

"Not all the activities of the council are on schedule. That's why we need to prepare funds for incidental programs," he added.