Hartono to be tough on corrupt subordinates<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Home Affairs R. Hartono threatened
\nto dismiss governors or regents found to have greased their way
\ninto office, Antara reported yesterday.<\/p>\n
\"If investigations and the courts find (such officials were)
\ninvolved in bribery, I would dismiss them,\" Hartono told
\nreporters at his office.<\/p>\n
Hartono was commenting on an investigation of bribery
\nallegations over the election of the current governor of West
\nSumatra.<\/p>\n
Reports allege that former governor Hasan Basri Durin, now a
\nmember of the People's Consultative Assembly, paid each of the 45
\nmembers of the provincial legislative council Rp 20 million
\n(US$2,500) to elect Muchlis Ibrahim, Durin's deputy, to the
\ngovernor's post.<\/p>\n
It was also reported that a prominent local businessman paid
\nthe council members to elect a different candidate, Mannas K.
\nSulaiman. Gatra magazine said council members had denied the
\nallegations, while Durin had claimed that his distribution of
\nmoney was \"valid\" because it was regulated in the provincial
\nbudget.<\/p>\n
The provincial prosecutors office is still investigating the
\ncase.<\/p>\n
Muchlis Ibrahim was elected in December.<\/p>\n
Hartono said yesterday he was still waiting for the result of
\nthe investigation into the allegations.<\/p>\n
This year, a number of provinces will hold gubernatorial
\nelections, including Aceh, North Sumatra, Riau, South Sumatra,
\nWest Java, Central Java, East Java, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara,
\nEast Nusa Tenggara and East Kalimantan.<\/p>\n
Provincial governors are members of the Civil Service Corps
\nwith modest salaries, but their posts are often associated with
\nlucrative business opportunities.<\/p>\n
Bowing to public pressure for a clean government, President
\nSoeharto recently ordered ministers and high-ranking officials to
\ninventory their personal wealth. Ministers must submit their list
\nto President Soeharto, while governors must direct theirs to the
\nminister of home affairs.<\/p>\n
Soeharto also urged ministers to follow his example of
\ndonating his first year's salary to a campaign helping people
\nbadly affected by the monetary crisis.<\/p>\n
There is, however, no stipulation that the personal wealth
\nlists be made public. In an interview last month, Hartono scoffed
\nat the suggestion that the public be told about public officials'
\nwealth.<\/p>\n
\"How could that be? Would you be willing, if told, to go naked
\nin public? Everyone has the right to secrecy and privacy. Don't
\nmake demands like (those) made in the dark ages,\" Hartono told
\nreporters. (swe)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/hartono-to-be-tough-on-corrupt-subordinates-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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