TEMPO.CO, Padang - Darman Sahladi, chairman of Democratic Party’s Limapuluh Kota branch, said on Thursday, July 30, 2015 that his party would not question regional head candidates who were had been entangled with corruption cases. According to Darman, the Constitutional Court ruled in that ex-convicts are allowed to register as regional head candidates.
The Democratic Party, along with the Functional Group (Golkar), the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the People’s Conscience Party (Hanura) and the Crescent Star Party (PBB), nominated ex-convict Azwar Chesputra as a regent candidate in Limapuluh Kota, West Sumatera, in the upcoming election. Azwar was named as a suspect in a graft case surrounding Pantai Air Telang forest conversion in Banyuasin, South Sumatera.
Darman explained that the Democratic Party would rather consider Azwar’s experience as a member of the House of Representatives than his status as an ex-convict. Darman added that Azwar has connection in the central government.
“He is also a public figure in the regency. He knows the area very weill,” he said.
Azwar Chesputra, along with two other members of the House of Representatives Hilman Indra from the PBB and Fahri Andi Leluasa from Golkar, was sentenced to four years in prison and a fine of Rp 200 million (US$15,000) for receiving a bribe related to Pantai Air Telang forest conversion from Anggodo Widjojo. Azwar, Fahri and Hilman received traveler’s cheques of Sin$5,000, Sin$30,000 and Sin$140,000, respectively.
They also received bribes from PT Chandratex Indo Artha’s commissioner Chandra Antonio Tan, who provided traveler’s checks that amounted to Rp 5 billion (US$384,500) for members of House of Representatives’ Commission IV Via Sarjan Tahir from the Democratic Party. The checks were distributed by Commission IV chief Yusuf Erwin Faishal to Azwar, Hilman and Fahri.
ANDRI EL FARUQI