Prosecutors insist on probe into councillors' 'incentives'

Prosecutors insist on probe into councillors' 'incentives'

Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung

Despite their intention to return cash benefits from the local
administration, West Java councillors will face questioning at
the Provincial Prosecutor's Office.

Chief prosecutor Sudhono Iswahjudi revealed on Monday that
there will be an investigation into the alleged misuse of the
province's budget, which involved both the 100-member legislative
council and the provincial administration.

"Although the councillors plan to return the money, we will
summon them for questioning to obtain information and evidence of
the alleged misuse of the provincial budget." Sudhono said.

The summonses will be issued with or without the governor's
permit because the case is categorized as corruption, according
to Sudhono.

However, he would not comment on whether he had also planned
to summon provincial officials.

The provincial administration agreed to meet the councillors'
demand for Rp 250 million cash each to buy land for their houses.
The money was disbursed in three installments using the 2001
budget, additional budget and 2002 budget. The provincial
government had taken the money from expenditure allocated for
state institutions.

Two of the councillors who represent the Justice Party had
channeled their cash benefits to the poor.

The councillors, who considered the benefit an incentive,
decided to return the money after public protests erupted.

Another group of people visited the legislative council on
Monday to protest the misuse of the provincial budget.

But they found the building tightly guarded by 150 members of
the Alert Brigade One Unit (Brigass) militia group who mostly
comprise supporters of the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI Perjuangan).

The vigilantes, dressed in red military outfits, were seen
standing on alert at every access to the building's main hall and
councillors' rooms.

They screened everybody wanting to meet the councillors,
including journalists.

"We have to protect the councillors, because the issue has
blown out of proportion," Luki Kolibu, one of the militia
leaders, shouted through a loudspeaker outside the building.

He said the protests were intended to discredit the
legislative body, in particular council speaker Eka Santosa, a
gubernatorial candidate and also a member of PDI Perjuangan.