Kharishar Kahfi, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has rubbed salt in the wounds of dozens of East Java's Malang City Council members who are implicated in a graft case pertaining to the city's budget deliberation.
On Wednesday, the antigraft body said it suspected that councillors also accepted gratuities related to one of the city's program.
"The Malang City Council members are [also] suspected of accepting unlawful gifts totaling around Rp 5.8 billion [US$386,597]. Investigators are gathering evidence on the allegations of gratuities related to the waste management fund in Malang," said KPK spokesman Febri Dianysah.
He added that the antigraft body had warned all suspects to cooperate during the investigation as well as returning every cent of the illicit money they had accepted to the KPK, as it would be considered as mitigating factors during the prosecution.
"Several council members [that have been detained] have admitted to their wrongdoing and returned the money to the commission," Febri said.
As of Wednesday, the KPK has named 41 out of 45 Malang City council members suspects in a bribery case related to the deliberation of the 2015 city budget. It has also detained Mayor Mochamad Anton who is suspected of distributing Rp 700 million in bribes to councillors.
The investigation has raised concerns that it will disrupt the continuity of local government, as both legislative and executive branches of the city are currently vacant.