Maluku refugee fund abused: Mayor

AMBON, Maluku: Ambon Mayor MJ Papilaja recently alleged that Rp 9 billion (US$957,446) in government refugee funds might have been embezzled by officials of the Maluku provincial government, depriving refugees in Ambon and other cities in Maluku of the assistance.

Papilaja said the Rp 9 billion fund had already been channeled by the central government, and the Maluku administration should have disbursed it to the Ambon and other local governments, but none had received their allocation of the refugee fund.

Maluku Governor Karel Albert Rahalalu could not be reached on Monday for comment. -- JP