REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, MEDAN -- The image of North Sumatra, already labelled the country's most corrupt province, is getting worse with seven more regional lawmakers were charged with graft, a political observer said.

Last week the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named seven more members of the regional legislative assembly (DPRD) suspects in a corruption cases.

Dr Muryanto Amin from the state North Sumatra University (USU) said the image of North Sumatra was already "very bad" after a number of leaders of he legislative assembly were arrested last year for involvement in the same corruption case.

In addition to damaging the image of the province, the arrest of the lawmakers is feared to result in delay in the implementation of its development program. Dr Muryanto said.

The image of North Sumatra has been badly tarnished as its former governor, Gatot Pujo Nugroho, was involved in the corruption case.

North Sumatra has been labelled the most corrupt province in the country, followed by Riau and Banten. The former governors of the two provinces are also now serving jail terms for corruption.

North Sumatra has hit mass media headline not because of its good performance but for being the most corrupt province, he said.

"Mentioning North Sumatra would conjure up vision of rampant corruption," he said.

The new governor HT Erry Nuradi and next governors have to work hard to mend the damage cause by the former governor and the law makers, he said.

The challenges facing the new and future's governors of North Sumatra is not only to improve the image, but to make up for the delay in the process of development, he said.

Repairing the damage in image is important as it has impact on the people psychologically, he said.

Last year KPK arrested four leaders and a member of the provincial legislative body in the period of 2009-2014 on charge of graft accepting bribe from Governor Gatot, and on June 16 , 2016, the anti graft agency named seven more member of the regional assembly of the same period on the same charge.

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