Prosecutors reject dossier on S.Kalimantan Governor

Yuliansyah The Jakarta Post Banjarmasin

South Kalimantan prosecutors refused on Monday to accept a dossier of a police investigation into corruption charges against Governor Sjachriel Darham, reasoning they needed President Megawati Soekarnoputri's permission first.

The dossier contains the results of police questioning of Sjachriel, a possible corruption suspect in a case related to the Barito river dredging project, involving around US$20 million.

Head of the government prosecutor's office Abdul Muis Gassing said his office could not accept the dossier without the President's permission.

"This is in line with the Criminal Code," Abdul said.

According to South Kalimantan Police spokesman Comr. R. Sunanto, prosecutors did not need prior permission from the President. He did not elaborate.

The police, however, had yet to finalize their investigation into Sjachriel and were planning to question more witnesses, Sunanto added.

Even though Sjachriel was now a witness, he said, he could later be declared a suspect.

That possibility depended on whether the police would expand their investigation, with Sunanto explaining that they wanted to examine another witness in the case. "We've just examined the governor once, and there'll be more interrogation of the governor to question," he said.

The corruption case implicating Governor Sjachriel marks the latest controversy involving him after local councillors last year unsuccessfully tried to unseat him.

Demands for his resignation have grown since early 2002, with students claiming Sjachriel was corrupt and councillors voting to fire him in August.

Jakarta blocked their move, dismissing the councillors' vote as unlawful. A governor is appointed by presidential decree and as yet President Megawati has not rescinded her decree.

But the legislators' vote of no confidence meant that Sjachriel's administration would be working without the support of the local legislature.

An independent team appointed to investigate demands for the governor's ouster has yet to disclose its report.

On Monday, 14 non-governmental organizations issued a joint statement demanding Abdul's resignation as he "no longer sided with justice".