Political parties told to axe convicted members

Political parties told to axe convicted members

Syofiardi Bachyul, Padang

Political parties have been urged to suspend six of their
reelected councillors in West Sumatra -- they were reelected in
the April 5 election -- after they were found guilty of
corruption.

The six are among the 43 members of the provincial legislative
council who were jailed en masse by the Padang District Court on
May 17 for over two years for their role in a graft scam.

"The political parties can repair some of their public image
if they take a clear stance in eradicating corruption by
decommissioning the six reelected councillors," said Saldi Isra,
coordinator of the Concerned Forum for West Sumatra (FPSB).

The FPSB is a non-governmental organization that reported the
corruption case against the councillors involving embezzlement of
Rp 6.4 billion (US$711,111) from the West Sumatra budget.

"They (the parties) can emulate the success of the Prosperous
Justice Party (PKS) in boosting its image in fighting corruption
through its representatives in legislative bodies," he cited on
Friday. The PKS won 6 percent of votes nationwide in the April 5
election, mainly on the strength of its reputation for concrete
action against corruption.

Saldi, a constitutional law expert from Andalas University,
said even though such a suspension was not regulated by the law,
the parties have the authority to suspend them.

The six council members concerned are: Syawir Taher, Hendra
Irawan Rahim and Usman Hosen, all from the Golkar Party; Marhadi
Effendi of the National Mandate Party (PAN), Guspardi Gaus of the
United Development Party (PPP) and Hilman Syarifuddin of the
Crescent Star Party (PBB).

Responding to the demand, West Sumatra's PPP leader Baharuddin
R. said he respected the suggestion but added that to suspend
Guspardi, his party needed to "follow existing procedures."

"We must first make the request formally at a party meeting
and the results will be reported to the PPP central executive
board," Baharuddin added.

The province's deputy chairman of PAN, Ki Jal Atri Tanjung,
said his party would adhere to the legal procedures.

As there was no binding decision yet and the legislator,
Marhadi, is appealing against his conviction to a higher court,
PAN had chosen to wait for that legal process to run its course,
he added.

"But to suspend him; that does not come under the provincial
chapter's authority. Only the central board can do that," Ki Jal
stressed.

The West Sumatra General Elections Commission (KPUD),
announced however, that the six councillors would still have the
right to be inaugurated for another five-year term, despite their
conviction, as long as there was no permanent verdict against
them.

The councillors were appealing the guilty verdicts, KPUD
chairman Mufti Syarfie argued.

All 43 of the convicted councillors remain free however, as
the Padang District Court did not order them to be immediately
incarcerated, because they announced their intention to appeal
upon hearing the verdict.

Others found guilty also included council speaker Arwan Kasri
and his two deputies -- Masfar Rasyid and Titi Nazif Lubuk -- who
received two years and three months in prison. Forty other
councillors were sentenced to only two years imprisonment.

The court also ordered all the convicts to return between Rp
100 million and 180 million each that they had embezzled and
fined Rp 100 million each.

It was the first verdict handed down for a collective graft
scam involving legislative members in the country. A similar
trial is ongoing in West Java.