Councilor calls for probe of budget losses<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A city councilor urged the city administration
\non Tuesday to investigate losses that could amount to more than
\nRp 2 billion (US$266,666) for the first eight months of this
\nfiscal year from the funds allocated for the maintenance of
\nofficial vehicles.<\/p>\n
M. Asyraf Ali, a member of the Golkar faction, said the huge
\nlosses from the department's routine expenditure budget were
\ncaused by a 75 percent discrepancy between the recorded number of
\nvehicles and the number budgeted for.<\/p>\n
Asyraf said that such a practice was ridiculous because the
\ncity was under pressure to cut all expenditure, especially on
\naccount of the crisis.<\/p>\n
\"The administration should investigate this as soon as
\npossible because this kind of corruption has wasted the budget,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
According to data from the city supplies office, the number of
\ncity administration official vehicles is 3,873, consisting of
\n1.791 four-wheeled vehicles and 2,082 motorcycles. These figures
\nwere compiled from vehicle ownership documents.<\/p>\n
In the 1998\/1999 city budget, however, routine expenditure for
\nthe official vehicles' maintenance is projected to be Rp 4.82
\nbillion for 6,797 vehicles -- 3,582 four-wheeled vehicles and
\n3,215 motorcycles.<\/p>\n
Based on Gubernatorial Decree No. 198\/1998 on the guidelines
\nfor the allocation of official vehicles' fuel, motorcycles are
\nallocated five liters a day, sedans and vans eight liters, small
\ntrucks 25 liters and large trucks 40 to 55 liters.<\/p>\n
For maintenance small motorcycle are allocated of Rp 12,500 a
\nmonth, while the budgets for larger and Harley Davidson
\nmotorcycles are Rp 24,500 and Rp 86,850 respectively.<\/p>\n
For the maintenance of sedans and vans, the city allocates Rp
\n40,750 a month, Rp 67,450 for a small truck and Rp 148,000 for a
\nbig truck.<\/p>\n
The money allocated for the \"extra\" vehicles between April and
\nNovember totals more than Rp 2 billion.<\/p>\n
Fauzi Alvi Yasin, the administrative assistant to the city
\nsecretary, admitted on Tuesday that there was a difference in the
\nnumber of vehicles in the records and in the budget.<\/p>\n
\"We are now trying to put the matter in order,\" he said.<\/p>\n
But he refused to say that the difference had resulted in
\nfinancial losses. \"It is not a loss of money, but only unrecorded
\ncity assets. That's why we will soon compile data on the
\nvehicles,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Fauzi said that the difference might have occurred because the
\ncorrect total number of vehicles had not been recorded by the
\nsupplies office.<\/p>\n
Asked whether the additional vehicles no longer belonged to
\nthe city but were still included in the budget, Fauzi said: \"We
\nare still investigating. So far all the budget's allocations are
\nbased on proposals from the (relevant) city units.\"<\/p>\n
However, Asyraf said the fact that the budget allocation for
\nvehicle maintenance was much larger than what was needed proved
\nthere were losses.<\/p>\n
He urged the governor to take punitive action if it is found
\nthat city officials manipulated the data for their own benefit.
\n(ind)<\/p>",
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