Two resign to avoid corruption charges

TANGERANG (JP): Two middle-ranking Tangerang Regency and Mayoralty officials submitted their resignations yesterday in a bid to avoid accusations of corruption.

The two were identified as Agus Rachmat, the head of the regency's regional development board, and Muhaemin, the head of the mayoralty's parks and funerals office.

Agus is the brother-in-law of regency secretary M.H. Thamrin, while Muhaemin is the younger brother of Tangerang Mayor Djakaria Mahmud.

Agus admitted yesterday that he had resigned to avoid accusations that he was recruited nepotistically by Thamrin and had thereafter frequently engaged in corrupt activities.

"It's better for me to resign now rather than be dismissed at a later date," he said.

He said there were still two relatives of Thamrin working as officials in his administration. The two are secretary of the regency regional development board Muchtar Lutfi and deputy head of economic affairs Dedy Kusnadi.

"But my resignation should not influence them and they don't necessarily have to follow my example," Agus said. He now plans to return to his former profession as a lecturer at Bandung Institute of Technology.

Agus explained that he decided to resign as he had held his current position for five years. "Usually this position is held only in three years," he said.

He said that he had informed Regent Agus Djunara of his intention to resign earlier this month.

According to Suparman, the mayoralty administration assistant, Muhaemin sent his resignation letter to the Governor of West Java.

"The letter has yet to be answered," Suparman added.

Djakaria Mahmud earlier denied that he had assisted his brother rise through the ranks in the council, saying he had gained promotion on his own merit.

"Muhaemin started as a section head, was promoted to division head and now heads the office."

Tangerang Mayoralty Council deputy chairman Ruchiat recently threatened to resign if corrupt officials did not step down from the council. (41/jun)