[Kabar-indonesia] W. Java governor denies involvement in scam

[Joyo at aol.com]

The Jakarta Post
Thursday, November 2, 2006

W. Java governor denies involvement in budget scam

Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung

West Java Governor Danny Setiawan testified in court Tuesday
he was not involved in a 2001-2002 provincial budget scam,
in which legislative councillors during the 1999-2004 term
allegedly stole Rp 33.4 billion (US$3.7 million) of public
money.

Danny was testifying at the lengthy trial of former West
Java legislative council speaker Eka Santosa at the Bandung
District Court.

"If I'm not mistaken, I did not designate that sum of money
be taken from section 2.14 of the budget during my tenure as
provincial secretary," Danny said, who attended the trial in
his capacity as the former West Java provincial secretary
and member of the 2001-2002 provincial budget supervisory
team.

The trial presided over by judge Abdul Mohan presented
former West Java Governor Nuriana who testified earlier in
court.

The trial has heard that 100 legislators from the 1999-2004
term requested gifts in the form of plots of land from the
executive.

They then took the funds from budget finances meant to go to
the police and prosecutors office, and divided it among
themselves, with each getting about Rp 250 million.

Two of the four suspects in the case have accused Danny of
authorizing the withdrawals.

Defendant Eka Santoso called for the judges to be fair in
the trial and asked Danny to tell the truth.

Under questioning, Danny constantly denied his role in the
case, only saying legislators submitted a "gift" proposal to
the provincial administration, which was later approved by
the legislature as a provincial regulation.

When asked by Eka's lawyers whether the proposal for the
funds had gone through the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) and
Regional Auditor (Bawasda), Danny said it had.

"It had been audited by the BPK and Bawasda that stated that
it (the bylaw) was valid, and there were no corrections,"
Danny said.

A number of former legislators attended the court, including
Kurdi Moekri, who was sentenced to four years' jail in the
case but is free pending his appeal.

In a statement to the court, Kurdi said Danny as an official
at the provincial administration was also involved in
deciding the allocation.
"I want everyone involved be tried, every councillor and
official, not only us four," Kurdi said.

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Joyo Indonesia News Service
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