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.