JP\/5\/timex<\/p>\n
BPKP told to audit aid for refugees in NTT<\/p>\n
Yemris Fointuna
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nKupang, East Nusa Tenggara<\/p>\n
Pressure has been placed on the relevant authorities to
\ninvestigate alleged irregularities in the use of Rp 53 billion
\n(US$6.3 million) in aid for East Timorese refugees in East Nusa
\nTenggara (NTT) province.<\/p>\n
The provincial office of the Development Finance Controller
\n(BPKP) should move quickly to audit the financial aid, director
\nof the province's Center for Information and People's Advocacy
\n(PIAR) Sarah Lei Mbuik said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
She said that the disbursement of Rp 5 billion of Japanese aid
\nshould also be investigated. The aid was allegedly used by the
\nWirasakti military command to build houses for soldiers who were
\namong the refugees.<\/p>\n
"If the project to develop a settlement at Naibonat village in
\nKupang regency was managed by the Indonesian Military (TNI), the
\nBPKP should perform an audit to ensure transparency," Sarah said.<\/p>\n
She was responding to the Timor Express (Timex) daily's recent
\nreport, which criticized the military for its involvement in
\ndeveloping a settlement for East Timorese refugees.<\/p>\n
The article, published last Friday, quoted Karel Yani Mbuik,
\ndeputy chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
\n(PDI-P) for the East Nusa Tenggara chapter.<\/p>\n
Karel in the report claimed that there had been irregularities
\nin the project and urged the BPKP to immediately investigate the
\ncase.<\/p>\n
Responding to the report, Wirasakti military commander Col.
\nMoeswarno Moesanif -- whose command oversees security in Kupang
\n-- accused the newspaper and Karel of tarnishing both his and the
\nmilitary's image. Last Friday, the commander filed a complaint
\nwith the Kupang Police, over what he claimed was libel .<\/p>\n
On Monday, the Kupang Police questioned Timex's chief editor
\nYusak Riwu Rohi.<\/p>\n
Yusak later criticized Moesanif's action, saying that his
\nright to reply, and clarify the report, as stipulated by Press
\nLaw No. 40\/1999 had been overlooked.<\/p>\n
The editor's team of nine lawyers denied that the report had
\nbeen an attack on the local military.<\/p>\n
"If the local military commander said that it (the article)
\ntarnished his good name, he must indicate which part of the
\narticle was defamatory," lawyer Marsel Radja said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
He urged the police to investigate the case under Press Law
\nNo. 40\/1999 rather than the Criminal Code.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jp5timex-1447899208",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}