Lampung councillors named corruption suspects

Lampung councillors named corruption suspects

Oyos Saroso HN, The Jakarta Post, Bandar Lampung, Lampung

Three councillors were declared suspects on Monday for the
alleged misuse of Rp 19.5 billion (US$2.4 million) from the
Lampung 2001 provincial budget.

The three suspects are: chairman of the budget committee Abdul
Azib Zanim of the National Mandate Party (PAN) faction, committee
secretary Tan Gatot Mahawisnu of the National Awakening Party
(PKB) faction and council budget commission member Fauzi Saleh of
the Golkar Party faction.

The head of the investigating team from the Lampung
Prosecutor's Office, Darmono, said the three had been declared
suspects because they had arranged the budget. He also said it
was possible that 72 other councillors would be declared
suspects.

Previously, the head of the prosecutor's office, I Putu Kusa,
had discontinued the investigation into the case due to a lack of
evidence, plus the prosecutor's office apparently had a backlog
of more important cases.

Reports from the Lampung Development Finance Comptroller said
the amount of misused funds were Rp 23.5 billion.

But Darmono rejected the comptroller's report, saying the
prosecutor's office found that only Rp 19.5 billion was misused.

Lampung council speaker Abbas Hadisunyoto said that there were
some allocations in the budget that were not governed by
Government Regulation No. 110/2000 on the budget.

"But that's not corruption," he said.

Most legislators supported Abbas, saying there was no
corruption involved during budget discussions.

Home minister Hari Sabarno has supported the investigation and
has said he would provide the prosecutor's office with a letter
approving the investigation if necessary.