Foreign auditors to aid BPK watch Aceh fund<\/p>\n
Urip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) will collaborate with state
\ncomptrollers from foreign donor countries to audit all financial
\naid channeled to tsunami-stricken Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam.<\/p>\n
The audit will start after an Asian Development Bank (ADB)-
\nsponsored conference in April, to be attended by the donor
\nnations and other tsunami-affected countries in the region.<\/p>\n
The BPK is urging the government to immediately conduct proper
\naccounting of the funds by deploying its internal auditors from
\nthe inspectorate general to monitor all fund channeling and
\nreconstruction-related ministries.<\/p>\n
The BPK has called for the deployment of internal auditors
\nfrom the Development and Finance Comptroller Agency (BPKP), which
\nwas asked by the BPK to draft the standard for the accounting
\nprocess.<\/p>\n
\"It has been nearly two months since the deadly disaster. Yet,
\nnot a single auditor has been deployed at the devastated areas to
\nmake an account of the channeled funds,\" chairman Anwar Nasution
\nsaid on Monday during a meeting with the Coordinating Minister
\nfor People's Welfare Alwi Shihab, BPKP chairman Arie Soelendro
\nand agency inspector generals.<\/p>\n
\"In other countries, auditors are immediately coordinated and
\ndeployed at the same time when emergency relief efforts in the
\nwake of a disaster begin,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The BPK set up its auditing team for the Aceh aid funds since
\nFeb. 1. The team is expected to work for a one-year term.<\/p>\n
Anwar said proper accounting and auditing processes were
\nnecessary so the public and the international community believed
\nthe donations were being handled transparently and accountably.<\/p>\n
\"It is also a form of gratitude to them (the donors) and a
\ntest case for us to show our seriousness in combating
\ncorruption,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The upcoming conference, he said, was needed to share
\nexperience with other countries on disaster management and the
\nauditing of relief aid funds.<\/p>\n
\"State audit agencies from Japan, Australia, the United States
\nand European Union have expressed their desire to cooperate with
\nus.\"<\/p>\n
The head of the BPK's Aceh audit team, J. Hanjari, said the
\nagency had so far noted over Rp 40 trillion (US$4.33 million) of
\naid funds received for Aceh. The funds consisted of some Rp 39
\ntrillion from foreign donor countries, Rp 163.9 billion from
\nstate-owned enterprises and Rp 894.38 billion from the public.<\/p>\n
\"The funds do not include publicly collected funds, which will
\nbe audited by public accountant offices,\" he said. \"We have yet
\nto receive reports of funds coming from the state and regional
\nbudgets.\"<\/p>\n
Alwi, who also heads the National Disaster Coordination Board,
\nwelcomed the BPK's call for the accounting process and audit.<\/p>\n
\"We are ready to give BPK their 'ammunition' for the audit,
\nwhich is a complete accounting report of the funds,\" he said.
\n\"The President himself has always asked us to keep account of
\nevery single penny disbursed for Aceh.\"<\/p>\n
Alwi said his office had accounted some Rp 900 billion of
\nfunds as of Jan. 26, and would announce a new figure every month
\nas the funds continued to pour in.<\/p>\n
Arie said the BPKP would immediately work on the accounting
\nstandards requested by the BPK. \"We will thoroughly identify any
\nneeded regulations and coordination between institutions for the
\nstandard and propose the government address them,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/foreign-auditors-to-aid-bpk-watch-aceh-fund-1447893297",
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