Mega gives go ahead to question regent

PEKANBARU, Riau: President Megawati Soekarnoputri has issued a letter allowing National Police and Riau Police to question Kampar regent Jefri Noer over a fake senior high school graduation certificate.

"The letter was sent to National Police, we have just received a copy," Riau Police chief Deddy S. K. said on Saturday.

He said police would not question Jefri until they had received the letter from the National Police chief.

"We will question Jefri soon after the letter from the National Police reaches us. Currently, we are gathering information from witnesses," Deddy said.

Jefri, in power for just a year, was impeached by the Kampar legislative council two months ago. However, the central government rejected the impeachment, saying it was illegal.

He was impeached for a number of reasons, including submitting a fake technological vocational school graduation certificate to meet legal requirements to run in the 2001 regency elections. --Antara