Puteh's head on the line: Source
Puteh's head on the line: Source
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta
President Megawati Soekarnoputri is reportedly considering a
replacement for Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh as pressure mounts
on her to fire him due to graft charges against him.
A reliable source from the President's inner circle revealed
on Friday that Megawati was considering two people to take over
Puteh's post and that she would make a decision in the near
future.
"Some time next week, the President will decide on one of the
two candidates. We just have to wait," the source told The
Jakarta Post.
The two people are a former minister and a former governor,
the source said but declined to identify them.
Nor could the source say whether Puteh would be replaced
temporarily or permanently as Aceh governor/civil emergency
administrator to face investigation.
Earlier, interim chief security minister Hari Sabarno and
local Acehnese figures reportedly proposed several different
people as Puteh's replacement.
On Friday, the governor was grilled for a third consecutive
day by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) as a suspect
in the alleged markup in the price of a Russian-made Mi-2
helicopter. The case reportedly cost the state Rp 4 billion
(US$440,000) in losses.
After undergoing 10 hours of questioning, he again denied any
wrongdoing and said the purchase of the helicopter by his
administration had been endorsed by the Aceh legislative council.
"I delivered my accountability speech before the Aceh council
and they approved it," he said.
However, a local councillor from the National Mandate Party
(PAN), Daeng Iskandar, said at least five of the 13 municipal
councils in Aceh had initially demanded that the purchase be
canceled.
They argued that the huge fund allocated for the helicopter
would better be used to improve local people's welfare, Daeng
added.
"It was not clear why the governor issued an instruction to go
ahead with the purchase and even asked for Rp 750 million in
additional funding from regental/municipal budgets," the
councillor said.
During Thursday's questioning, Puteh said there was no need to
hold a tender for the purchase, citing Presidential Decree No.
18/2000 that allows the bidding process to be skipped for the
procurement of goods valued at more than Rp 5 billion in case of
emergency, including natural disaster, or a project dealing with
sensitive materials such as explosives.
He claimed that the purchase was justified under the decree as
Aceh needed an assault helicopter to help crush Free Aceh
Movement (GAM) separatist rebels.
"Aceh's whole territory is prone to conflict, making it
difficult to monitor remote areas using water or land
transportation vehicles," he added.
GAM has been fighting for the independence of Aceh since 1976.
With fighting breaking out every day between soldiers and
guerrillas, at least 10,000 Acehnese, mostly civilians, have been
killed since then.
In a related development, a team of police investigators led
by National Police chief of detectives Comr. Gen. Suyitno Landung
visited KPK members to share data and information on Puteh.
Another graft case against Puteh was discussed involving the
alleged markup in the prices of new power generators, causing
state losses of Rp 30 billion.
In a joint press conference with KPK chairman Taufiqurrahman
Ruki, Suyitno said the police would summon Puteh for the second
time regarding the power generator scandal.
"The investigation is to find out why he (Puteh) used funds
originally allocated for education to buy the generators.
"If the probe shows any legal violations in the use of the
funds, we may declare him a suspect," Suyitno added.
He said the police would also summon other Aceh officials,
including Aceh Council speaker Muhammad Yus, in connection with
the same scam. Suyitno did not elaborate.