Accountants refuse KPU's job<\/p>\n
Suherdjoko, The Jakarta Post, Semarang<\/p>\n
Noted public accountants have reportedly refused to audit
\ncampaign funds of political parties, a member of the General
\nElection Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu), Didik Supriyanto, said
\non Saturday.<\/p>\n
He said the auditors were concerned about possible questions
\nfrom Panwaslu, the General Election Commission (KPU) and non-
\ngovernmental organizations.<\/p>\n
\"As you can see, there are still no reputable public
\naccountants appointed by the KPU to audit the parties' accounts,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
He said, so far, none of the 24 political parties contesting
\nthe April 5 general elections had reported the use of funds
\nduring the three-week campaign period between March 11 and April
\n1.<\/p>\n
Citing Article 79 of Election Law No. 12\/2003, Didik said the
\npolitical parties are given 97 days after the election day on
\nApril 5 to get their campaign funds audited by public
\naccountants.<\/p>\n
During the first 60 days, parties must present reports of all
\nof their campaign funds to auditors that later hand them over to
\nthe KPU.<\/p>\n
\"But the long time given to the political parties gives the
\nopportunity for manipulation of data,\" Didik said.<\/p>\n
Under the law, parties are obliged to report their accounts
\none week before the campaigning starts. But in fact, most of them
\nhad ignored the regulation.<\/p>\n
Didik said the Panwaslu has so far found no irregularities in
\nthe use of party campaign funds.<\/p>\n
\"It is not because there are no parties that have reported
\ntheir election funds. Even if we are pro-active in finding
\npossible violations, it would be useless because they still have
\nno data,\" Didik said.<\/p>\n
He said the Panwaslu was not asked by the KPU to work together
\nto enact regulations to control possible irregularities in
\ncampaign funds by political parties. \"But if there are
\nviolations, we should follow it up,\" he complained.<\/p>\n
According to the Indonesia Corruption Watchdog, parties
\nresorted to vote buying to lure supporters during the campaign
\nperiod.<\/p>\n
It said the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P)
\nallocated Rp 100 billion (US$11.6 million) to finance its
\ncampaign. Of that amount, Rp 1.89 billion was spent on
\nadvertising. Golkar is said to have spent Rp 640 million on
\nadvertising. Of the 24 parties contending the legislative
\nelection, at least 11 had no funds for advertising.<\/p>",
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