KPU names ink tender winners amid financial doubt<\/p>\n
Moch. N. Kurniawan and Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
After a two-week delay, the General Elections Commission (KPU)
\nannounced on Wednesday four companies that won the contract to
\nprovide ink for the April 5 legislative election despite some
\nserious questions about their financial documents.<\/p>\n
KPU member Rusadi Kantaprawira, who chairs the ink tender
\ncommittee, said PT Fulcomas Jaya, PT Lina Permai Sakti, PT
\nMustika Indra Mas and PT Wahgo International won the contract to
\nprovide 1.2 million bottles of indelible ink, each containing 30
\nmilliliters.<\/p>\n
The selection was finalized before midnight on Tuesday after
\nthe four companies agreed on the price range set by KPU at
\nbetween Rp 28,750 (US$3.42) and Rp 30,275 per bottle, depending
\non the distance of delivery.<\/p>\n
The ink will be imported from India, although the KPU is
\nconsidering naming a local producer to supply 2.5 percent of the
\nneed.<\/p>\n
Of the four winners, Fulcomas had reported total sales of Rp
\n889 million in 2002, but paid no income tax for that year,
\naccording to documents submitted to the KPU.<\/p>\n
The company also booked sales worth Rp 635 million or an
\naverage of Rp 52.9 million per month last year.<\/p>\n
Lina Permai had no sales and zero income tax in 2002,
\naccording to KPU data. It did not submit its 2003 tax report to
\nKPU, but a tax document obtained by the Jakarta Post reveals the
\ncompany's total sales amounting to Rp 2.5 billion in 2003. The
\nsales, however, only existed in December.<\/p>\n
KPU has not provided financial data for PT Mustika, but tax
\ndocuments made available to the Post disclosed that the firm
\nrecorded no sales in 2003, but reported Rp 7.2 billion in sales
\nin 2002.<\/p>\n
PT Wahgo recorded Rp 17 billion in sales in 2003 and income
\ntax of Rp 19,773 million, KPU said, however, it had not received
\nthe firm's 2002 tax report.<\/p>\n
The winners announcement came amid the backdrop of a debate
\nwithin the KPU on whether to repeat the tender as the
\nparticipants all bid at higher prices than KPU's ceiling.<\/p>\n
KPU's ink tender secretary H.A. Royadi said the four tender
\nwinners had completed their tax reports with the Directorate
\nGeneral of Tax.<\/p>\n
\"They will import the indelible ink from India and distribute
\nit to regencies and municipalities across the country in a
\nmaximum 21 days,\" Royadi told reporters. KPU has said all
\nelection materials must reach polling stations by March 25.<\/p>\n
Separately, Mulyana W. Kusumah, chairman of ballot paper
\nprinting tender, said he remained uncertain about when the
\nwinners would be announced.<\/p>\n
Asked about a Jakarta-based firm without sales and tax report
\nin 2003, Mulyana confirmed that the company had been chosen as
\none of 14 companies bidding for the tender to print the 660
\nmillion ballot papers.<\/p>\n
He promised to verify the data on the company, which
\nreportedly may have links to an influential minister.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Daan Dimara, chairman of ballot form tender, said
\nhe would summon all 21 companies that passed the pre-
\nqualification stage on Thursday and announce the winners next
\nweek.<\/p>\n
Tax documents obtained by the Post revealed that some of the
\nbidders had no sales and no taxes in the past few years.<\/p>\n
The ballot form would be used to record, among other things,
\nthe result of ballot counting.<\/p>\n
Separately, the Jakarta Police said they had prepared 15,968
\npersonnel to maintain security before and during the election
\nacross Jakarta, Depok, Bekasi and Tangerang.<\/p>\n
\"Up to four officers will be posted at each of the 2,812
\npolling stations throughout Greater Jakarta,\" the city police
\nspokesman Sr. Comr. Prasetyo said on Wednesday.<\/p>",
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