Election commission ready to clarify corruption report<\/p>\n
Tony Hotland, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Citing a number of inaccurate audit aspects, the General
\nElections Commission (KPU) has said it is prepared to confront an
\ninvestigative audit report by the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) that
\nindicates corruption of billions of rupiah by the commission.<\/p>\n
KPU chairman Nazarudin Sjamsuddin said the KPU was working on
\na clarification report to be submitted to the House of
\nRepresentatives soon, implying a request for the House to back
\nthe commission up.<\/p>\n
\"We're now drafting a full report to counter the BPK findings.
\nWe'll submit it to the House since we've always worked with House
\ncommission II, and all our decisions have been reported to them,\"
\nhe said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
One of the decisions, said Nazarudin, was to print additional
\nballot papers of 10 percent more than the number of voters,
\nstated in the election law.<\/p>\n
\"More ballot papers were needed to anticipate damaged ones, or
\nmigrating voters. Of course a 2.5 percent reserve was not
\nadequate. House commission II said we could add it as long as it
\nwas under control,\" KPU deputy chairman Ramlan Surbakti
\nexplained.<\/p>\n
Nazarudin said the KPU had saved a great deal of state money
\nin the procurement of ballot papers, which according to the BPK
\nhad cost the state over Rp 12 billion (US$1.26 million).<\/p>\n
\"The prices offered in the tender were between Rp 780 to Rp
\n1,018. We managed to get Rp 280 per piece.\" he said.<\/p>\n
The submission of a clarification report to the House would
\nappear to be a call for support against the BPK report, although
\nRamlan said it was only a matter of accountability to House
\ncommission II, as the KPU's partner.<\/p>\n
It has been alleged that a number of House members are
\nresponsible for the embezzlement of election funds amounting to
\nover Rp 90 billion, as indicated in the BPK report.<\/p>\n
Another inaccurate point, noted Nazarudin, was the cost
\ncalculation of ballot envelopes. The BPK indicated a state loss
\nof over Rp 7 billion (US$736,842) due to marked-up prices and an
\nexcessive print run.<\/p>\n
\"The BPK multiplied 12 envelopes by the number of
\nregencies\/cities, which is around 400, while they should have
\nmultiplied it by the number of polling stations, which is around
\n585,000,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Such explanations, said Nazarudin, had been given to the BPK
\nauditors before, but had been more general.<\/p>\n
The House is likely to ignore the clarification report. House
\nSpeaker Agung Laksono said the BPK report was enough proof for
\nrelated House commissions to launch a probe through the possible
\nformation of a special inquiry team.<\/p>\n
\"(But) of course if Commission (II) proves to be involved in
\nany wrongdoings, it should be openly explained,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Agung said the BPK would submit on Friday two more audit
\nreports on financial expenditure during the 2004 legislative and
\npresidential elections.<\/p>\n
All BPK reports, including a letter sent by Mulyana W. Kusumah
\nto Agung on Tuesday, will be distributed to related House
\ncommissions during a plenary meeting next Monday as the House
\nends its recess.<\/p>\n
\"The letter mentions that all decisions regarding any
\nprocurement of election materials were discussed in KPU plenary
\nsessions attended by all members,\" Agung said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named
\non Tuesday another suspect in the bribery case of a state auditor
\ninvolving KPU member Mulyana W. Kusumah, who was caught trying to
\nbribe a BPK auditor in a Jakarta hotel room.<\/p>\n
Lawyer Erick S. Paat confirmed that his client, Sussongko
\nSuhardjo, has been named a suspect and detained by the KPK.
\nSussongko has been implicated as the one who allegedly ordered
\nthat bribery used and provided some of the money for the bribe.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/election-commission-ready-to-clarify-corruption-report-1447893297",
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