Drug convict sworn in as council vice speaker
Suherdjoko and Agus Maryono, The Jakarta Post, Semarang, Cilacap | Fri, 10/16/2009 2:52 PM
Central Java councilor Riza Kurniawan was sworn in as Central Java Legislative Council deputy speaker in a plenary session in Semarang on Thursday, despite being sentenced earlier to four months in prison by the Semarang District Court for drug abuse.
Riza of the National Mandate Party (PAN) was accused of drug abuse in 2004, but remained a legislator from 2004 to 2009. He was involved in a drug-related case again in June 2009.
After the Semarang District Court sentenced him to four months on Oct. 1, Riza appealed to the Central Java High Court. The outcome is still pending.
Deputy head of the high court I Gede Sumitra swore in leaders of the legislature in accordance with a 2009 decree from the Home Ministry, which approves the inauguration of legislative leaders.
The legislature is led by speaker Murdoko from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and deputy speakers Bambang Priyoko (Democratic Party), Bambang Sadono (Golkar Party), Abdul Fikri Faqih (Prosperous Justice Party, or PKS) and Riza.
In Cilacap, Central Java, legal practitioners urged the provincial administration to send a letter to Home Minister Mardiyanto to suspend Cilacap Regent Probo Yulastoro so the graft case he was involved in could be better handled. He is allegedly involved in a graft case worth Rp 21 billion (US$2.1 million).
Prosecutors handed over case files to the local district court on Oct. 12.
"A 2005 government regulation stipulates regents must be suspended if they become involved in a legal case," a lawyer in Cilacap, Agung Lusika, said Thursday.
