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Graft investigation will not affect channelling of village funds: Minister
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Villages, Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration Minister Eko Putro Sandjojo, House of Representatives lawmaker Farry Francys, East Nusa Tenggara governor Frans Lebu Raya, East Nusa Tenggara Legislative Council head Anwar Pua Geno and Ende regent Marselinus Pettu hold a dialogue with village heads and regents in Ende, on June 1. (JP/Djemi Amnifu)
T
he Corruption Eradication Commission’s (KPK) ongoing investigation into an alleged graft case, which has implicated Villages, Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration Ministry inspector general Sugito, will not influence the distribution of village funds, the ministry’s top official has said.
If as of today several areas have not yet received village funds, it is simply because regent regulations needed for the channeling of the funds have not yet been issued.
“Currently, 60 regencies have not yet received village funds due to the absence of regent regulations on the channeling of the funds. It has nothing to do with the case being investigated by the KPK,” said Villages, Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration Minister Eko Putro Sandjojo in Ende, East Nusa Tenggara, on Friday.
(Read also: Four named suspects in case of alleged graft connected to BPK, ministry)
Eko said the government had allocated Rp 60 trillion (US$4.51 billion) in village funds for 2017, with each village getting Rp 800 million.
It is expected the village funds will double to Rp 120 trillion in 2018, allowing each village to get Rp 1 billion in that year.
Eko said he was disappointed that amid ongoing increases in budgetary allocations for village funds, his institution had come into the public spotlight following the discovery of corruption allegedly involving one of its high-ranking officials, who served as the head of the Anti-Illegal Levy Task Force in the ministry.
“Let’s trust the KPK to handle the matter. Our country upholds the supremacy of the law. Let’s respect the ongoing legal process,” said Eko. (ebf)
