Village chief accused of graft

BEKASI, West Java: The people of Sriamar village, Tambun, have accused their village chief of manipulating the development fund.

The fund is part of the government program to develop backward villages and Sriamar had been promised Rp 20 million (US$9,000).

The fund includes aid for less priveleged members of society and for those active in small businesses.

Fourteen leading Sriamarese have registered complaints with the minister of home affairs in Jakarta, the West Java governor in Bandung and the Bekasi regent over the unauthorized subsidy cut they received.

Meanwhile some vegetable vendors, two-wheeled taxi drivers and food stall operators said they had not received a cent from the village authorities although they were very sure that their names were on the recipient lists.

The village authorities have distributed Rp 100,000 to each of the poor people who were said deserve the subsidy.

A chicken vendor said she had received the aid but the that sum had been less than Rp 100,000. She said she had no idea why it had been cut. (tis)