Susilo OKs grilling W. Sumatra governor

PADANG, West Sumatra: The West Sumatra Prosecutor's Office said on Saturday that it had received a letter from the President permitting the questioning of West Sumatra Governor Zainal Bakar in connection with a Rp 6.4 billion (US$711,111) graft case.

The head of the West Sumatra Prosecutor's Office, Antasari Azhar, said the letter was delivered on Saturday morning by an official from the Attorney General's Office, who had caught the first flight to Padang.

Antasari said the president had signed the letter, dated Nov. 26.

The governor is accused of embezzling funds from the 2002 provincial budget. -- JP