Official investigated for graft
Official investigated for graft
Multa Fidrus, Tangerang
Police have questioned Tangerang Social Welfare Agency head
Wildanul Firdaus following activists' calls that the Tangerang
Prosecutor's Office investigate the alleged embezzlement of a Rp
3.3 billion (US$351,064) community development fund by local
councillors.
Wildanul said on Friday before meeting with Council Speaker
Dadang Kartasasmita that he had been summoned and questioned by
the police as a witness. However, he declined to go into details.
"It's enough, please. Don't ask me any more questions. This
case is being handled by the police," he said.
Dadang said no councillors had been summoned for questioning
either by the police or the prosecutor's office.
"I have asked all 11 faction chairmen to clear up the
embezzlement allegation," he said.
According to Dadang, the chairmen of all factions at the
council claimed to have distributed the fund.
"They promised that not even one rupiah had been embezzled or
used for personal gain. They will prove it by showing receipts,
and recipients of the fund will provide information on the
issue," he said.
The Tangerang Government Watch (TGW) and the Movement of
Islamic Boarding School Students (Gerakan Santri) urged on Monday
that the prosecutor's office investigate the alleged
embezzlement.
TGW chairman Tonny Wismantoro alleged the councillors of
recommending the fund's allocation from the 2004 regental budget
and that it be channeled through the social welfare agency to
help finance community service activities.
He said each of the 11 council factions was to receive Rp 300
million from the agency prior to the legislative election, but
pointed out that no legal basis existed for councillors to
distribute the funds directly. The council was only authorized to
review and approve the annual budget proposal from the local
administration.
He also claimed that the TGW had strong proof that many
factions had instead distributed the community development fund
to their councillors as uang kadeudeuh, or gratuities, to mark
the end of their terms.