KPU lambasted over dubious funds<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Election watchdogs regretted on Friday the decision by the
\nGeneral Elections Commission (KPU) not to verify questionable
\nsources of campaign funds, saying it contradicted the public's
\nright to know.<\/p>\n
\"We regret the KPU's rejection. The commission must not reject
\n(suggestions for investigative audits) so quickly,\" Elections
\nSupervisory Committee member Didik Supriyanto said.<\/p>\n
Audits on the July 5 presidential candidates' campaign funds
\nrevealed that some had received funds from \"dubious sources\",
\nwhich prompted several election watchdogs and anticorruption
\nactivists to call for investigative audits.<\/p>\n
Transparency International Indonesia (TII) and the Indonesian
\nCorruption Watch (ICW) alleged earlier that two candidates --
\nfront-runner Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Megawati Soekarnoputri,
\nwho will be contesting in the September runoff -- had received
\ndonations from either non-existent or unclear sources.<\/p>\n
The two watchdogs urged the KPU to conduct further
\nverification into funding sources and announce their results to
\nthe public.<\/p>\n
However, KPU member Mulyana W. Kusumah said on Thursday that
\nsuch measures were unnecessary, because the concerned campaign
\nteams agreed to surrender the \"dubious funds\" to state coffers.<\/p>\n
Didik said the KPU's almost immediate rejection only showed
\nthe commission was poorly committed to transparency.<\/p>\n
According to the Presidential Elections Law, candidates may
\nnot accept donations for campaigning from foreign parties, state
\nenterprises or unclear sources, or face disqualification. They
\nmay, however, retain their candidacy if they surrender the
\nquestionable funds to the national treasury. If not, those
\ncandidates may face criminal charges.<\/p>\n
Ahsan Jamet Hamidi from the TII, a KPU-commissioned election
\nwatchdog, said the rejection simply restricted the public's
\naccess to information, and that \"the KPU ignored facts provided
\nby the TII and ICW\".<\/p>\n
Sarif Bastaman from the Megawati-Hasyim Muzadi campaign team
\nacknowledged that an audit conducted by the KPU had shown a Rp 5
\nmillion donation from unconfirmed sources.<\/p>\n
\"But we have transferred the money to the treasury. There is
\nno problem,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Sarif said the issue of unverified donations did not concern
\nthe presidential candidates, but their donors.<\/p>\n
Megawati had received Rp 5.3 million in dubious funds, while
\nSusilo had received Rp 10.2 million, both of which have been
\nsurrendered to the state.<\/p>\n
Didik said lawmakers should be prompted by the incident to
\nrevise the Presidential Elections Law to prevent similar
\noccurrences in the future.<\/p>\n
In addition, legal loopholes have left auditors unable to
\nclassify the Rp 8 billion from Warung Wiranto, or Wiranto's
\nstreet stalls, which were set up throughout the country during
\nthe campaign period and sold goods such as snacks, drinks and
\ncampaign paraphernalia.<\/p>\n
Auditors eventually decided to categorize the funds as coming
\nfrom \"other sources\".<\/p>\n
The law defines a donation as money given by an individual or
\nan institution, but does not mention money made through campaign-
\nrelated sales activities.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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