Bojonegoro, NU Online
Local inhabitants of Bojonegoro, East Java Province, Tuesday evening, heatedly debated the accountability of community development (Comdev) fund provided from the operation of the Sukowati oil and gas well.

As reported by the national news agency Antara, hundreds of villagers present in the meeting discussing the Comdev, demanded that the Community Working Team (TKM), which has so far managed the fund, to be discharged.

<>They considered that there had been many irregularities in the distribution of the fund by the Team led by Imam Sutikno in the past two years.

"If necessary we will report this case to the police. TMK must be responsible for the usage of some money amounting to Rp17 million," said a public relation officer of the Joint Operating Body (JOB) of Indonesian state oil company Pertamina and Petrochina East Java, which have been running the Sukowati oil and gas well.

The discussion on the community development fund was attended among others by hundreds of local villages, officials of the Bojonegoro administration, Campurejo Village Head Imam Budiono, TKM Chairman Imam Sutikno and his deputy, and local security officers.

The local villagers also expressed their disappointment over the implementation of the Comdev projects and the accountability because TMK did not involve local people.

According to the report prepared by TKM, the Sukowati Community Development Fund reached Rp1.2 billion in 2005 and Rp1.5 billion in 2006.

Some  inhabitants expressed their suspicion  of embezzlement in the Comdev fund spending. (dar)