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ntigraft activists in Medan on Tuesday condemned Monday'€™s fight between North Sumatra provincial councilors during a plenary session allegedly over an unequal division of funds believed to be derived from a governor accountability report (LKPJ) deliberation.

North Sumatra anti-corruption watchdog FITRA executive director Rurita Ningrum said the brawl between the two councilors, which was sparked by monetary issues, was very shameful, especially because the money was believed to be derived from an LKPJ deliberation.

Rurita said the case had further showed the disgrace of the provincial council members.

'€œIt is therefore normal if people get angry with them as they turned out to be just collecting money and not helping the people,'€ Rurita told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

'€œThey should not have been called honorable councilors,'€ she added.

Two North Sumatra provincial councilors from the Democrat faction, Mustofawiyah Sitompul and Guntur Manurung, were involved in a brawl after shouting at each other over money during the meeting on Monday.

They attempted to exchange punches several times but were separated by other councilors.

The fight, which took place for the first time ever since the legislators were inducted in September last year, ensued when Guntur yelled at Mustofawiyah about money.

Guntur also threatened Mustofawiyah to expose the latter'€™s actions for frequently stealing money from his colleagues.

Mustofawiyah yelled back at Guntur, shouting at him to return the Rp 50 million (US$3,850) fund to the LKPJ deliberation.

The scene soon became a spectacle for other attending councilors and audience members.

Rurita said her organization had been suspicious for a long time about the presence of transactions at the council in every LKPJ deliberation.

She said the suspicion came to light following the brawl about money between the legislators.

'€œLaw enforcers must probe the alleged money deals behind the LKPJ deliberation,'€ said Rurita.

North Sumatra Democrat faction advisor Arifin Nainggolan expressed deep regret over the brawl. Yet, he denied his faction had received money for the LKPJ deliberation.

'€œI did not receive any money,'€ he said.

The provincial council'€™s honorary board member Baskami Ginting said the board would follow up the case, saying the fight had tarnished the image of the council.

'€œWe will call both of them,'€ he said, adding that such an attitude does not deserve to be shown in the council'€™s respected plenary session.

Baskami said his board would question the presence of money transactions in the LKPJ deliberation. '€œWe will focus on disciplinary implementation based on the ethics code applied in the North Sumatra provincial council,'€ said
Baskami.