Official fired for drug trafficking

TANGERANG (JP): Mayor HM Thamrin has temporarily dismissed a low-ranking employee at the Ciledug District Public Order office following a court decision finding him guilty of dealing shabu- shabu (crystal methamphetamine).

Head of the mayoralty's human resources division Eni Muniggar said the man, Nasarudin, alias Joki, 40, would not receive his monthly salary and other allowances during his 18 months in jail.

"He has been found guilty by the court and therefore his status as a government employee has also been revoked.

"We will decide later whether or not to reemploy him after he has served his time in prison," Eni said on Saturday.

The decision, Eni said, would be taken based on government regulation number 32/1980 on employee dismissal.

Joki, who used to work at the state-run Sitanala Leprosy Hospital, also in Tangerang, and his younger brother, Zainal Abidin, 35, were recently sentenced by the local district court to 18 months in prison and fines of Rp 100,000 (US$13) each.

Presiding judge Satria U.S. Gumai said the two had been found guilty of distributing 1.75 grams of shabu-shabu. The sentences were six months higher than those demanded by prosecutor Mawardi Hasyim.

Mawardi said both Nasarudin and Zainal had not yet been jailed because they had lodged an appeal and asked for a pardon from the President.

"I will send them to jail only after a final decision has been reached," Mawardi said. (41/06)