Nine legislators tossed in jail

MATARAM, West Nusa Tenggara: Nine out of 12 corruption suspects from West Nusa Tenggara legislative council were arrested on Tuesday for their involvement in a case involving Rp 24 billion in losses.

The prosecutor's office ordered them to be arrested a year after the case was first reported. The arrested legislators are Abubakar Muhdi, Kushardi Anggrat, Gusti Komang Padang, Mahdan, A. Hafidz, Lalu Hartawa, Lalu Kumala, Tgh Anwar Mz and Mustakim.

One of the arrested suspects, A. Hafidz, was shocked and crying while being taken in to custody. "Justice and truth should be upheld...," he wailed.

Hafidz also said that all 55 council members should to be declared suspects in the procurement markup case that affected the provincial budget from 1999 to 2004. -- JP