Major graft cases probed in Maluku

M. Azis Tunny, Ambon

The Maluku Development and Finance Audit Body (BPKP) is set to investigate three major corruption cases, which caused tens of billions of rupiah in losses to the province.

Maluku BPKP head Mohammad Chusein said on Monday the investigations would begin this week and promised to report the results to the Maluku High Prosecutor's Office.

There were possibilities that the three graft cases would be handed over to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in Jakarta for further investigation, he added.

The three cases to be investigated include alleged irregularities in the use of Rp 18 billion (US$2 million) in assistance funds allocated for the resettlement of refugees across Maluku.

Another case is the alleged embezzlement of Rp 10 billion in funds earmarked for a city development project in the Maluku capital of Ambon.

The third case is the alleged misuse of funds from Maluku's regional original revenue at two fish export quality-assessment laboratories in Ambon and Tual in Southeast Maluku.

Chusein said the probes were recommended by Maluku Governor Karel Albert Ralahalu, who recently sent a letter to the province's BPKP.

The planned investigations would involve the Maluku administration supervisory board (Bawasda), Chusein said. "So, this task is given by the governor to be followed up," he told The Jakarta Post.

Chusein said that BPKP officials would gather data and information from the field as part of the investigation process.

"We will visit refugees to collect evidence. If they say they never received funds to return to their homes, it means there are violations," he added.

The refugees concerned are those who fled three years of sectarian fighting between Muslims and Christians since early 1999, during which some 6,000 people were killed.

The conflict ended after local Muslim and Christian leaders signed a peace deal in 2001, brokered by the central government. Sporadic attacks carried out by unidentified people hit Ambon several times but did not provoke renewed clashes.