Riau prosecutors name Kampar Council graft suspects

Puji Santoso, Pekanbaru

The Riau Prosecutor's Office named on Thursday all 45 councillors at Kampar regental council as suspects in a Rp 1.125 billion (US$118,421) corruption case.

Edward Rusmadi Putra, the deputy chief of special crimes at the Riau Prosecutor's Office, said that the councillors were named suspects after a series of investigations into alleged graft over the past month. Many of the councillors were questioned, including deputy speaker Imran Djon, council secretary Zunidah and councillors Arifin BS and Mardanus.

"After our preliminary investigation, there is a strong indication that they have been involved in corruption causing losses to the state," said Edward in Pekanbaru, the capital of Riau province.

The graft scandal surfaced after reports months ago from non- governmental organizations (NGOs) that 43 of the regency's 45 councillors had received Rp 25 million each in gratuity payments at the end of their terms from the regency's budget. Two councillors initially refused to accept the money. The NGOs accused the councillors of corruption, as gratuity payments for councillors are not included as part of any government regulation.

Regarding the two councillors who rejected the payment, Edward said that they had also been named suspects, after the prosecutors found out that they had later accepted the money.

After naming them all suspects, the prosecutor's office is now deciding on whether to detain them.

According to the Criminal Code, the prosecutors or police are allowed to detain suspects during the investigation phase, including on concerns that they could flee the country.

But in many cases here, especially in corruption cases involving high-profile government officials, the prosecutors often allow the suspects to remain free during the investigation phase, which often facilitates their escape.

Edward said that, after naming the councillors suspects, the Riau Prosecutor's Office will follow through with the questioning of more councillors, government officials and others who are may have played a role or had further information about the high- profile graft case.

The Kampar case comes amid a spate of similar investigations across the country into councillors accused of corruption, including those in South Sumatra, South Sulawesi and East Kalimantan provincial councils.

The South Sulawesi Prosecutor's Office, for example, is currently investigating at least 37 corruption cases that cost the state Rp 109.6 billion (US$12.1 million) in losses.

The cases include the misuse of Rp 70 billion in loans allocated for farmers in almost all regencies in the province.

In Palembang, the South Sumatra Prosecutor's Office is dealing with at least 20 graft cases this year in several regencies and municipalities. The cases included the misuse of Rp 8.7 billion allocated for the Riding road project, with a former public works office head named a suspect.

Meanwhile, prosecutors in East Kalimantan province have named 11 councillors and local officials suspects in 16 corruption cases, in which Rp 24 billion was allegedly siphoned from state coffers.

Eleven corruption cases last year allegedly deprived the state of Rp 5.7 billion, while the money recovered only amounted to Rp 323.3 million.