Tanjungpinang, Riau Islands (ANTARA News) - Riau Islands Governor Ismeth Abdullah was on Monday detained by the Corruption Eradiciation Commisision (KPK) for alleged corruption in the procurement of fire-trucks when he was head of the Batam Authority a few year ago.

According to a report from Jakarta, Ismeth was detained after being questioned from morning until 17:50 hours at the KPK head office.

He was put in a prison car and taken to the Cipinang state penitentiary in central Jakarta where, according to KPK spokemsan Johan Budi, he would be held for at least 20 days.

Johan said Ismeth was declared a suspect in corruption in the procurement of two Japanese-made fire trucks worth Rp19 billion when he was chairman of the Batam Authority or before he was elected Riau Islands governor in 2005.

According to the KPK, Ismeth had ordered the purchase of the fire trucks through a private company, PT Satal Nusantara, which had won the order not through a tender as required by government regulations, but by direct appointment.

The prices of the fire-trucks had been marked up so that the state had suffered a financial loss of Rp5.4 billion by the procurement.

Meanwhile, a member of the Riau Islands Provincial Legislative Assembly (DPRD), Yudi Karsana, said he hoped Governor Ismeth`s detention would not cause a stagnation in the provincial administration`s functions.

In Ismeth`s absence, the governor`s day-to-day duties and functions should authomatically be taken over by Vice Governor HM Sani, he said. (*)

Editor: B Kunto Wibisono
COPYRIGHT © 2012

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