Audit report indicates massive corruption at KPU<\/p>\n
Tony Hotland, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
The report on an investigative audit conducted by the Supreme
\nAudit Agency (BPK) indicates deep-rooted corruption at the
\nGeneral Elections Commission (KPU), with all activities related
\nto the procurement of materials for last year's general election
\napparently tainted with irregularities.<\/p>\n
The audit report, submitted by the agency to the House of
\nRepresentatives on Thursday, indicated malfeasance involving more
\nthan Rp 90 billion (US$9.47 million) in taxpayers' money by KPU
\nofficials.<\/p>\n
The report, which has been seen by The Jakarta Post, reveals
\ncollusion, data manipulation, document forgery and price markups
\nby the KPU in connection with the more than Rp 800.48 billion it
\nspent on ballot boxes, ballot papers, ink, and information and
\ntechnology infrastructure.<\/p>\n
It is likely that this is just the tip of the iceberg as the
\nreport only covers the funds given to the KPU for the legislative
\nelection. The KPU was allotted a whooping Rp 4 trillion to hold
\nconsecutive legislative and presidential elections, as well as a
\nrunoff in the presidential election.<\/p>\n
The BPK is conducting two more audits -- on financial aspects
\nof the legislative poll and financial aspects of the presidential
\npoll -- as well as another audit on 16 provincial KPUs and 48
\nregental KPUs, which controlled many more trillions of rupiah.<\/p>\n
The BPK audit report should give a boost to the Corruption
\nEradication Commission's (KPK) efforts to uncover corruption at
\nthe KPU, seen as much needed concrete evidence of the seriousness
\nof the government's war on graft.<\/p>\n
According to the report, the procurement of ballot boxes,
\nwhich was overseen by Mulyana W. Kusumah and Chusnul Mar'iyah,
\nresulted in a staggering Rp 66.06 billion loss to the taxpayer as
\na result of such things as the marking up of the price of ballot
\nboxes, manipulated ballot box specifications and marked-up
\ndistribution costs.<\/p>\n
The BPK also suspects a conspiracy to ensure that particular
\nfirms obtained tenders in return for kickbacks.<\/p>\n
The BPK found indications that the prices of some 251.29
\nmillion ballot papers were inflated by between 10 percent and 15
\npercent.<\/p>\n
The BPK also suspects data manipulation involving the
\ninflating of the number of ballots that were printed by 36.9
\nmillion more than required under the General Elections Law (No.
\n12\/2003) and a KPU ruling dated Feb. 18, 2004.<\/p>\n
The BPK believes that these two cases cost the taxpayer about
\nRp 12.62 billion.<\/p>\n
As regards the procurement of ink, which was overseen by
\nRusadi Kantaprawira, the BPK found that there were indications of
\nmalfeasance as the KPU used the average offered price as the
\nprice for both imported and local ink.<\/p>\n
The BPK findings also include the extending of an exemption
\nfrom import duty to two KPU suppliers, and invoice forgery to
\nallow the embezzling of import duties and taxes by another
\nsupplier. The BPK says that graft involving the procurement of
\nink cost the state Rp 4.39 billion.<\/p>\n
On information and technology infrastructure, which was the
\nresponsibility of Chusnul, the BPK alleges the inflating of costs
\nat the Data Recovery Center by Rp 154.09 million.<\/p>\n
Regarding the procurement of ballot envelopes, which was
\nmanaged by Daan Dimara, there were indications of the direct
\nappointment of firms tasked with printing the envelopes. The KPU
\nteam also allegedly increased its self-estimated price by
\nslapping multiple surcharges on a number of cost components,
\ncausing the state to lose Rp 7.06 billion.<\/p>\n
KPU chairman Nazarudin Syamsuddin, deputy chairman Ramlan
\nSurbakti and commission member Chusnul failed to answer or return
\ncalls from the Post on Friday. They had all previously either
\ndenied being involved in graft or refused to comment.<\/p>",
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