NGOs demand probe into Muna regent on graft cases
NGOs demand probe into Muna regent on graft cases
A. Junaidi and Hasrul, Jakarta/Kendari
A group of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) urged the
Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Wednesday to
investigate an alleged Rp 7 billion (US$777,000) corruption case
involving Muna Regent Ridwan Bae.
The NGOs, including the Indonesian Forum for the Environment
(Walhi) and Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW), alleged that Ridwan
was involved in auctions of illegally cut teakwood in 2002 and
2003, which caused Rp 15 billion in state losses.
ICW deputy coordinator Danang Widoyoko said prosecutors in
Southeast Sulawesi regency had brought three local administration
officials to court, but were unable to question the regent
because they had not received permission from the President.
The anticorruption commission is allowed to question high-
ranking government officials, including regents, without
presidential consent.
"Muna regency auctioned 12 million cubic meters of illegal
teakwood valued at Rp 15 billion in 2002 and 2003, but the regent
only reported Rp 8 billion in his accountability speech last
year," Danang said.
The chairman of Walhi's Southeast Sulawesi chapter, La Ode
Ota, alleged Ridwan knew about and endorsed the auctioning of
illegally cut teakwood.
"Based on court testimony, it appears the regent has legalized
illegal logging. The regency engineered the logging," Ota said.
He said officials in the regency's forestry office allegedly
ordered local residents to cut down teak trees on 4,000 hectares
of forest in the regency.
He said the felled trees, which were left in the forest by the
residents, were then seized by the forestry office and declared
illegal, allowing the officials to auction them.
"Most of the teakwood logs were sold in auctions to certain
companies. Most of the companies come from Java, including Jepara
(in Central Java), which is known for its teakwood handicrafts,"
Ota said.
In Muna, Regent Ridwan denied the accusations, saying no state
revenue was lost from the teakwood auctions.
"The Rp 17 billion raised from the auctions all went into the
state's coffers. We have the documents, including all of the
bills from the auction. I do not understand why some people would
make these allegations," Ridwan said.
He suspected attempts to link him to a corruption case were
politically motivated.
"I have explained everything to the public many times, but
they keep on suspecting me," he said.
He also said the NGOs should have sought confirmation from him
before going public with the allegations.
"A big institution like the ICW should not blow this case out
of proportion. They should have come here to seek proof of the
alleged corruption instead of taking a certain party's report for
granted," said Ridwan, whose five-year term ends this year.
He said there had been attempts by individuals to undermine
his administration, one of those individuals being a dismissed
Golkar councillor who was the first to raise the graft
allegation.