Senior councillor held in graft case in Padang

Senior councillor held in graft case in Padang

Kasparman, The Jakarta Post, Padang, West Sumatra

A deputy speaker of the West Sumatra legislative council, Masfar
Rasyid, has been detained as a suspect on charges of corruption
and abuse of power.

The councillor, who represents the United Development Party
(PPP), was taken to the Muara Padang prison by local prosecutors
on Wednesday evening.

"The arrest has been made in line with legal procedures,"
prosecutor Khaidir Ramli told journalists at the jail, arguing
that Masfar had been detained for trying to hinder the
investigation. Khaidir did not elaborate.

Masfar, a former lawyer, is one of a number of local
legislators who have been accused of involvement in
irregularities in funding allocations under last year's West
Sumatra budget. It is still unclear how much money he allegedly
embezzled.

The drafting of the budget, in which the suspects were
involved, reportedly failed to comply with Government Regulation
No. 110/2000 on funding allocations for the council.

Prosecutors have also investigated council speaker Arwan Kasri
and his other deputies, Syahrial and Titi Nazif Lubuk, as well as
members of the budget committee.

But only Masfar was arrested for his alleged move to thwart
the laying of corruption charges against him following a report
from a local non-governmental organization, the Forum of
Concerned Citizens in West Sumatra (FPSB).

Before being put behind bars, the suspect had challenged
prosecutors to arrest him if they considered he had tried to
obstruct the investigation.

Prosecutor Khaidir said the charges against Masfar carried up
to five years in prison for trying to obstruct justice.

Rusdi Zein, chief lawyer for the provincial legislative
council, admitted he was surprised by the arrest of Masfar, but
said his client would respect the legal process.

"We will abide by the law and will seek to release Pak Masfar
from detention soon through legal procedures," he added.

Rusdi said there was no need to detain Masfar as he believed
that his client would not attempt to flee or to interfere with
evidence.

"He is a public figure and it's inconceivable for him to
flee," the lawyer said.

On Wednesday, none of his colleagues from the legislature
turned up to visit Masfar in detention.

Only Masfar's wife and children, as well as several of his
staff members in the council, came to the prison bringing food,
medicine and other essentials. The prison is home to at least 466
prisoners and detainees.