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.