Indonesian parliamentarians are justified in demanding that the Rp50 billion ($540,000) taken to earthquake devastated Aceh does not fall into the hands of corrupt officials. Leading parliamentarians support the government's relief efforts but have been quick to urge extreme caution in disbursing aid in Aceh where the bloody conflict and rampant corruption has driven more than 40% of the population into extreme poverty. "The government must take care to ensure that the aid is channelled on time and to those entitled to it," said Agung Laksono, a deputy speaker of the House of Representatives. "The condition (in Aceh) is already like this, so don't let us hear of further reeking rotten things like shady practices and corruption of the aid funds," he said as cited by the Tempointeraktif website. Indonesia rates among the most corrupt countries in the world according to Berlin-based Transparency International but the situation in Aceh is particularly appalling.
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