City officials lambasted over huge budget losses<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A city councilor lambasted city administration
\nofficials yesterday for chronic corruption and collusion
\npractices as the reason behind the huge amount of money missing
\nfrom the city budget.<\/p>\n
Djafar Badjeber, head of Commission B for economic affairs,
\nsaid many officials from the lowest to the highest ranks were
\ninvolved in the malfeasance mainly due to the absence of control
\nand supervision.<\/p>\n
"There are actually some mechanisms of control and supervision
\nfor officials and their performance, but none of them work
\nproperly," he said.<\/p>\n
He declined to give an exact figure for losses in the
\nadministration's budget, but some media claimed last week that it
\nreached about 35 percent a year.<\/p>\n
"I don't know the exact amount but I think it might just be
\nmore or less the same. But I'm not surprised. This country has
\nalways been labeled the most corrupt country in the world,
\nanyway," he said.<\/p>\n
He said the administration always defended itself from public
\ncriticism and vowed to fix officials' performance, but no action
\nhad ever been taken.<\/p>\n
"It is hardly a secret that until now some administration
\nofficials still collect illegal fees, mark up the value of the
\nprojects they handle or receive bribes," he said.<\/p>\n
Many errant officials have taken advantage of the budget by
\nmarking up the value of the projects managed by their
\ndepartments, he said.<\/p>\n
The markup of projects not only led to improper construction,
\nbut also to low quality infrastructure and public facilities, he
\nadded.<\/p>\n
"Developers certainly downgrade the quality of their projects
\nbecause they lack the funds to meet all the demanded
\nspecifications, as part of the money would be given to officials
\nin the first place," said Djafar.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Deputy Governor of Finance Harun Al Rasyid defended
\nhis personnel, saying the councilor should not make such
\naccusations until after a thorough investigation had been
\nconducted.<\/p>\n
"Leakage and malfeasance in the budget or revenue can't just
\nbe seen with bare eyes. They must be proven. We can't just
\naccuse," he said Friday.<\/p>\n
Harun instead said leakages in the budget or city revenue
\ncould just as easily be committed by the administration's
\nbusiness partners who deliberately marked down a project's value
\nor did not pay the proper taxes and levies.<\/p>\n
"Maybe it's just their way to gain more profit," he said.<\/p>\n
Harun admitted that the administration had a problem with
\ninefficiency.<\/p>\n
"It certainly exists here. Well, we're only human. But I think
\nwe have to reactivate the internal supervision to help reduce
\ninefficiency," said Harun.<\/p>\n
According to Djafar, the administration should change its
\npayment system if it wants to reduce leakage and malfeasance.<\/p>\n
The current system requires the public to pay fees or levies
\nfor services from the administration directly to officials at
\nrelated departments.<\/p>\n
"The current payment system really gives some errant officials
\na chance to be easily involved in corruption or collusion," said
\nDjafar.<\/p>\n
He said all payments should be made through an administration
\nfund account at city-owned Bank DKI.<\/p>\n
The administration should also establish an independent board
\nto audit its assets and then control the utilization of the
\nassets in its activities or projects, he added.<\/p>\n
"The purpose is to make sure the administration earns a
\nprofit," said Djafar. (cst)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/city-officials-lambasted-over-huge-budget-losses-1447893297",
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