P

resident Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has officially suspended Banten governor Ratu Atut Chosiyah from her position and appointed her deputy Rano Karno, former actor and a politician from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), as interim governor.

'€œThe decree on Atut'€™s suspension as well the appointment of Rano as acting governor were signed by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Friday. We expect officials from the Banten administration to receive the letter on Monday so that they can follow up on the decision,'€ home minister, Gamawan Fauzi, told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

Gamawan said that the decision to suspend Atut from her position was made following her indictment in a graft case last Monday.

He said that Rano would take over all her responsibilities as governor for the next three months until the Jakarta Corruption Court issued its verdict on her graft charges.

'€œShould the court find Atut guilty in the case, she will be permanently removed from her position as mandated by law and Rano will be sworn in as governor,'€ Gamawan said.

Atut, together with her brother Tubagus Chaeri '€œWawan'€ Wardana, stands accused of paying Rp 1 billion (US$87,000) to former Constitutional Court chief justice Akil Mochtar in exchange for a ruling in favor of a Golkar Party-backed candidate in a disputed election for Lebak regent.

Earlier during the trial of Wawan, who many believe is the financial backer of Atut'€™s political dynasty in Banten, it was revealed by Atut'€™s family treasurer Yayah Rodiyah that he had transferred Rp 1.2 billion to Rano in 2011, raising speculation that Rano might also be implicated in Atut'€™s case.

Atut, through her lawyer Tubagus Sukatma, threatened that she would reveal '€œthe truth'€ about the transfer, which was wired to Rano in November 2011 when he was officially elected as Atut'€™s deputy.

Media reports said in April that Rano reportedly received Rp 6 billion from Wawan as instructed by Atut in exchange for his agreement to serve as Atut'€™s running mate in the 2011 Banten gubernatorial election. Rano has repeatedly denied the allegations.

Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deputy chairman Bambang Widjojanto said that the antigraft body was aware of the transfer.

'€œI would be lying if I said the KPK does not know about the money transfer,'€ Bambang said, adding that disclosing more details about the money transfer could jeopardize the KPK'€™s ongoing investigation into
the case.

Bambang said the KPK would wait for the final verdict on Atut before following up on Yaya'€™s
testimony.

Political observer and anti-corruption campaigner from Banten'€™s Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa University, Dahnil Anzar, said on Sunday that the money-transfer allegation could have been concocted by Atut to delegitimize Rano'€™s leadership in Banten, the province which has been under Atut'€™s family control
since 2006.

'€œIf the transfer is related to campaign funding, then it is unlikely to be regarded as a gratuity. However, Atut'€™s family [which is supported by Golkar] still want to retain control of the province, thus, I sense that there is a sort of effort to delegitimize Rano'€™s leadership in the province using the transfer issue,'€ he said.

He added that Atut'€™s sister, Serang deputy regent Ratu Tatu Chasanah, who is also the leader of Golkar'€™s Banten branch, was likely to fill the position of deputy governor as it was the responsibility of the local party'€™s chairperson to name the person to succeed Rano should Atut be permanently dismissed.

'€œIf later Rano is dragged into the case then Tatu is likely to replace him as governor,'€ Dahnil said.