Irawaty Wardany, Jakarta – Former beauty queen-turned-politician Angelina Sondakh received only a four-and-a-half-year jail term thanks to achievements she boasted in her plea.

Angelina has been found guilty of accepted more than Rp 34,90 billion (US$3,6 million) in kickbacks from Permai Group, a holding company belonging to convict M. Nazaruddin in exchange for projects run by the Youth and Sports Ministry (the construction of athletes' village for last year's SEA Games in Palembang, South Sumatra) and the Education and Culture Ministry (projects in 16 state universities).

She has also been ordered to pay Rp 250 million (US$25,906) in fines or serve six additional months in prison should she fail to pay the fine.

The panel of judges considered her achievements including some titles she won in a number of beauty contests she read out in her plea as mitigating factors that influenced the lower than 12-year sentence demanded by the prosecutors.

Angelina's legal team and the prosecuting team said they wanted to use the seven-day period to consider whether or not to file an appeal.