Kampar councillors interrogated over embezzlement

Puji Santoso and Andi Hajramurni, Pekanbaru/Makassar

The Riau Prosecutors' Office began questioning on Wednesday Kampar councillors over embezzling Rp 1.125 billion (US$118,421) from the regental budget.

As of 2 p.m. on Wednesday, four of 43 councillors charged with corruption had been interrogated: deputy speaker Imran Djon, council secretary Zunidah and councillors Arifin B.S. and Mardanus.

Prosecutors will also question Zulher, secretary of the Kampar regental administration, in connection with the case.

Riau Prosecutors' Office head Zainuddin Zahasi said on Wednesday the questioning was prompted by reports from non- governmental organizations (NGOs) that 43 of the regency's 45 councillors had received Rp 1.125 billion in "severance pay" from the regental budget. Only two councillors refused to accept the payment.

The NGOs accused the councillors of corruption, as severance pay for councillors is not included in any government regulations, said Zainuddin.

He added that some councillors had returned the money after the NGOs demanded law enforcers to investigate the case.

"However, we will continue with the case. Besides, the damage has already been done," he said.

The Riau case comes amid a spate of similar investigations across the country into councillors suspected of graft, including those of the West Java, South Sulawesi and West Sumatra provincial councils.

In the South Sulawesi capital of Makassar, the provincial police chief said on Wednesday that, despite public demand, police were not yet able to question councillors in connection with a corruption case due to technical reasons.

"The Minister of Home Affairs has yet to grant us permission to question those councillors allegedly involved in embezzling from the provincial budget," said South Sulawesi Police chief Insp. Gen. Saleh Saaf.

Saleh said the request for the minister's permission had been sent a week ago, and the official go-ahead was expected soon.

Earlier, police had questioned as witnesses six government officials and Bastian Lubis, a scholar who uncovered the corruption allegedly committed by South Sulawesi councillors.

The corruption case, centering on budgetary allocation for councillors, was brought to light last month in a report filed with the South Sulawesi Prosecutors' Office by Bastian.

Bastian reported that the establishment of council budget had violated a government decree on funding for civil servants and councillors. Among the decree's stipulations is an article ruling that councillors are not to be provided an allowance drawn from provincial revenues.

The South Sulawesi council budget shows an allocation of Rp 18.32 billion (US$1.9 million) as allowance for its 75 councillors.