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