LAKSAMANA.Net, June 6, 2004 10:48 PM
Review - Regions: Aceh Governor Grilled
Laksamana.Net - Investigators questioned Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh Wednesday
(2/6/04) over his alleged role in a multimillion-dollar graft case, despite his
appointment by President Megawati Sukarnoputri as the civil emergency administrator
in the war-torn province.
Aceh police have reported 42 cases of corruption that implicate local administration
officials.
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said on Friday (4/6/04) that Puteh
knew that some procedures had been violated in the purchase of a Russian-made
Mi-2 helicopter in 2002.
KPK deputy chairman Erry Riyana Hardjapamekas, however, disclosed that "the
questioning of the governor has not touched on substantial matters because he
(Puteh) did not bring supporting documents."
Earlier, KPK investigators also questioned speaker of the Aceh legislature
Muhammad Yus and his deputies, T. Bachrum Manyak and Moersyid Minosra, as
well as the Aceh administration's supply and procurement division head Syahruddin
M. Gadeng and treasurer T.M. Lizam.
From the officials, Hardjapamekas said, the KPK learned that at least 10 regents
donated around Rp700 million ($72,916) to help the administration purchase the
helicopter.
Hardjapamekas said the commission had been collecting information from the Navy,
the Air Force and a partner company of the Aceh administration involved in the
purchase of the helicopter, identified only as PT PPM. The Navy said it bought the
same helicopter for some Rp6 billion in 2001.
The alleged markup in the purchase of the helicopter caused some Rp12 billion in
state losses.
Hardjapamekas told reporters the questioning was aimed at collecting information on
the mechanism, procedure and approval by the Aceh council of the purchase of the
Mi-2 helicopter.
"We must be objective in handling the case. We want to be sure about the standard
procedures before the councilors approve the request to purchase an inventory item,"
he said.
Puteh was also questioned at National Police headquarters over another corruption
case related to the purchase of power generators.
The police probe is focused on the alleged marking up of the price of power generators
purchased for the provincial administration, for which the central government allotted
Rp30 billion ($3.3 million).
The police have named local businessman William Taylor as a suspect in the markup.
Taylor's testimony led the police to Puteh.
Four rebels killed
Four Free Aceh Movement (GAM) separatists were killed on Thursday (3/6/04) in
skirmishes with troops across the province.
Military spokesman Lt. Col. Asep Sapari said Friday one GAM member was killed in
Aceh Besar district, two in East Aceh and the other in Bireuen.
Soldiers also seized five firearms -- SP, AK-47 and M-16 rifles, a revolver and a locally
assembled pistol -- and several rounds of ammunition.
Suspected separatist rebels in Aceh shot dead three people and injured two other
civilians, the military said Saturday (5/6/04).
The first victim, the daughter of a hamlet chief in the Krueng Jangko area of Pidie
district, was killed on Thursday night, said Lt. Col. Abdul Rochim Siregar.
He said Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels were suspected of carrying out the
attack, which also wounded a two-month-old infant and a 14-year-old boy.
The attack was carried out because the rebels failed to extort money from the hamlet
chief, who had been away at the time.
Rebels also shot dead a 45-year-old hamlet chief in a nearby area of Krueng Njong,
Siregar said.
Rebels killed a neighborhood security guard on Thursday (3/6/04), said North Aceh
police chief Agus Salim.
More Ambon Bombs
Police have found more bombs in the provincial capital of Ambon, bringing renewed
fear to the city as it struggles to get back to normal following disturbances last month.
The bombs were discovered by residents who reported them to the police. They were
both low explosive bombs, said spokesman for the Maluku Provincial Police, Comr.
Endro Prasetyo, on Tuesday (1/6/04).
Prasetyo said that provincial police headquarters had questioned five people, but they
had been released shortly thereafter due to a lack of evidence linking them to the
bombs.
Meanwhile, police and Indonesian military (TNI) personnel have intensified their
searches for bombs and weapons in several areas of Ambon. They are also
conducting random checks on passersby and vehicles around the city.
Police and the military have detained a number of people during the searches, and
seized a variety of weapons.
Police Capture Palu Murder Suspect
Police have arrested a suspect in the murder of public prosecutor Ferry Silalahi, who
helped try terrorism cases in Palu, Central Sulawesi.
National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said Friday (4/6/04) a suspect identified as
Emil, a former tailor, had been undergoing interrogation by the Central Sulawesi
Police since Wednesday.
The suspect was captured Tuesday (1/6/06) in Ampibabo, Parigi Moutong, some 150
km north of Palu.
"We are still trying to find out the role this man played in the shooting and who is
behind him. We have also been analyzing all the cases that have been handled by
Ferry, and are currently trying to connect them with his murder," said Bachtiar.
Silalahi, 46, was shot dead in his car just after attending an evening church service
with his wife, Yulia.
Yulia, who survived the incident, said four men with long hair and dark skin carried out
the deadly attack.
Police are continuing the search for other suspects and sketches of two of the men
have been posted across the province.
Silalahi had been working in Palu for over a year and had dealt with dozens of cases
involving corruption and terrorism.
He was also in charge in a team of prosecutors that was to try a major corruption
case against Ambo Dalle, director of the Central Sulawesi village cooperatives center.
While at the Tangerang Prosecutor's Office in Banten, Silalahi prosecuted Ang Kim
Soei, who was sentenced to death in 2003 for operating an ecstasy laboratory,
reported to be one of Southeast Asia's largest.
The murder prompted the National Police to provide officers to guard prosecutors and
judges in Palu. Police have licensed 70 prosecutors across the country to carry
firearms for self-defense.
National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Paiman said Friday (4/6/04) that the Attorney
General's Office (AGO) had asked the police to authorize the carrying of firearms by
its prosecutors, whose lives were often in danger due to the cases they were
handling.
Paiman said each regional police headquarters would train prosecutors in their
respective areas to make sure that they knew how to use firearms properly.
New Lampung Governor Installed
In defiance of a court order, Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno Wednesday
(2/6/04) installed Sjachroeddin Z.P. and Syamsuria Ryacudu as the new governor and
deputy governor of Lampung.
The pair were elected after polling for the governorship was re-run following the
Lampung legislative council's dismissal of governor-elect Alzier Dianis Thabrani after
he was charged with graft.
There were no protesters at the inauguration at the Lampung legislative council though
hundreds of police were deployed outside the council building. This was in contrast to
last month's re-run of the election, which was marked by protests by both opponents
and supporters of Thabrani.
After the ceremony, Sabarno played down the decision of the Jakarta Administrative
Court to favor a lawsuit filed by Thabrani. against him.
"It is the right of every citizen to file a lawsuit. But let bygones be bygones. We
should think about the future," he said.
The lawsuit challenged the minister's annulment of Thabrani 's victory in the 2002
gubernatorial election.
The court's decision should have forced the central government to acknowledge
Thabrani 's victory in the election and inaugurate him as Lampung governor.
Alzier led the local chapter of Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
(PDI-P) before he was dismissed for not following a party directive to support the
reelection of Governor Oemarsono two years ago. Thabrani was later named a
suspect in a graft case, as well as being charged with using a false university
diploma.
Two councilors from the National Awakening Party (PKB) faction, Syahri Achmad and
Imam Muhyidin, were dismissed for supporting the new election, despite being
ordered by the PKB faction not to attend the vote. The Golkar Party faction also
dismissed Syamsuria Ryacudu for defying an order not to run for deputy governor.
Chairman of the PKB's Lampung chapter, Safrin Romas, said attempts to ensure a
Sjahroeddin victory was aimed at increasing Megawati's chances of winning the
upcoming presidential election.
Crew Members Feared Dead
Six crew members of the Artomoro, which sank on May 28 in waters off Moyo Island,
West Nusa Tenggara, are feared dead, an official said Friday (4/6/04).
"The six are still missing and feared dead, as their boat sank a week ago," said Ida
Bagus Gede Budhisma, head of Mataram search and rescue.
The Artomoro, owned by Surabaya-based PT Nusa Tenun Sejahtera, sank on its way
to Waingapu, East Nusa Tenggara, while transporting 31 passengers and various
goods, including a 20-strong crew. As of Friday, only 14 crew members had been
found, Budhisma said.
At the time of the sinking, the weather was foul with strong westerly winds and rough
waves, Budhisma added.
Papua Tribal Clash
Two groups from different Papua tribes -- the Damal and the Nduga -- clashed on
Saturday (5/6/04) on the outskirts of the town of Timika, leaving at least two dead and
more than 43 injured.
Timika is on the south coast of Papua in the disputed Central Irian Jaya province.
The two dead were identified as Pandinam Alom, 20 and Junar Murib, 25, who were
both shot in the neck with arrows. It was unclear which tribe they came from.
The violence may have been sparked off by a family dispute over a month ago, when
Marthinus Murib from the Damal tribe was allegedly shot with an arrow by a man
identified only as Jimmy from the rival Nduga tribe, according to Lt. Col. H. Siburian,
the chief of Mimika military district command, which covers Timika town and its
surroundings.
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