Audit commission to verify officials' wealth<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Public Servants' Wealth Audit Commission
\n(KPKPN) disclosed on Monday that only 18 percent of state
\nofficials had returned their wealth declaration forms, and of
\nthose, almost half contained irregularities.<\/p>\n
Commission member Soekotjo Soeprapto said the commission would
\nsoon begin verifying 1,500 out of 3,126 wealth reports made by
\nstate officials and personally check their wealth.<\/p>\n
\"The commission has set up a team to make lists of those who
\nwill be questioned, and we will work in cooperation with
\nuniversity students to check their wealth,\" Soekotjo said.<\/p>\n
He did not give the exact time of the verification, saying
\nonly \"soon, very soon\".<\/p>\n
\"We have prepared the team and the material to be verified,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
When asked what items in the declaration form needed to be
\nverified, Soekotjo refused to elaborate.<\/p>\n
\"This shouldn't be published. We are afraid that some
\nofficials might prepare themselves if they know.\"<\/p>\n
A total of 24,999 forms were distributed to state officials,
\nmilitary\/police officers, judges and legislators in March. But
\nsince then, only 3,126 forms have been returned to the
\ncommission.<\/p>\n
The names of those who have not submitted their forms will be
\nannounced in the media by the end of the month, he said.<\/p>\n
He was speaking to reporters after attending a national dialog
\non commitment and the agenda of development agents toward good
\ngovernance.<\/p>\n
Soekotjo also aired his concerns on state officials who had
\nyet to return the wealth declaration forms, saying, \"with all due
\nrespect, I don't know what they are thinking. They have gone way
\nbeyond the deadline.\"<\/p>\n
He said the officials should have returned the forms within a
\nmonth after they received them.<\/p>\n
\"Our weakness is that we don't have the authority to give
\nsanctions (to those who have not returned the forms), so our only
\nrecourse is to publish their names in the media,\" he said, adding
\nthat the move was part of the commission's commitment to the
\npublic.<\/p>\n
While the establishment of the commission in January received
\na warm response from the public, observers have said that no one
\nshould have any high hopes as the commission lacks the legal
\nauthority to carry out investigations over any possible
\nirregularities in reports.(emf\/dja)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/audit-commission-to-verify-officials-wealth-1447893297",
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