Residents protest slow graft probe

Residents protest slow graft probe

MEDAN: About 100 Serdang Bedagai residents protested outside the
North Sumatra Prosecutor's Office on Thursday, demanding the
speed up of a probe into a Rp 2.3 billion (US$244,680) graft case
allegedly involving the region's former acting regent.

Chairullah was named a suspect in December last year for
embezzling election funds when he was secretary to the Deli
Serdang regency, a case that has still not been brought to court.
He was later named acting regent of Serdang Bedagai and is
currently running for the post in the upcoming regional
elections.

Separately, North Sumatra provincial administration spokesman
J. Ketaren said the probe had stalled because President Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono had not yet approved the investigation into
Chairullah. It would be resumed as soon as Susilo gave his
permission, Ketaren said. -- JP