Legislators yet to submit wealth reports<\/p>\n
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
None of some 12,000 newly installed House of Representatives
\n(DPR) and legislature members across the country have submitted
\ntheir wealth reports to the Corruption Eradication Commission
\n(KPK) although the deadline is near.<\/p>\n
House and legislature members are supposed to submit their
\nwealth reports to the commission within 30 days of being sworn
\nin.<\/p>\n
Erry Riyana Hardjapamekas, the deputy chairman of KPK, said
\nthat none of the new legislators and councillors -- or the old
\nones who are re-elected-- have submitted their wealth reports.<\/p>\n
\"We have disseminated information about it and would inform
\nthem again. Perhaps, some of them don't know about it as they
\nwere just sworn in,\" he said on Friday.<\/p>\n
Most of the legislators of the House of Representatives and
\ncouncillors of provincial or regental legislatures are new faces.<\/p>\n
Erry explained that the law on KPK requires legislators, and
\nother state officials, to submit their wealth reports to the
\ncommission to maintain transparency and monitor possible
\nirregularities.<\/p>\n
\"We will examine the wealth reports and it is very important
\nto publish them because we need the input from people to detect
\npossible irregularities in their wealth reports,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Although the law stipulates the deadline for state officials
\nto submit their wealth reports, it fails to rule about sanctions
\nfor them if they are late submitting their reports.<\/p>\n
\"They would only get administrative and moral sanctions if
\nthey are late to submit their wealth reports. They would only be
\npunished by the court if they are proven falsifying their wealth
\nreports,\" Erry said.<\/p>\n
The works of the KPK were previously done by the Civil
\nServants Wealth Report Audit Commission (KPKPN), which now is
\ndefunct following the establishment of KPK.<\/p>\n
The KPKPN often found irregularities in the wealth reports of
\nthe legislators and councillors and other state officials,
\nusually because they tried to conceal their real assets.<\/p>\n
The KPK also called on legislators and legislature members for
\nthe 1999-2004 period to submit their wealth reports soon because
\nthe deadline was also 30 days after their term ended with the
\nlegislative bodies.<\/p>\n
As of Thursday, only some 8,000 out of 12,000 legislators of
\nthe 1999-2004 period submitted their wealth reports to the KPK.<\/p>\n
The 1999-2004 legislators ended their services on Sept. 30.<\/p>\n
\"We asked former legislators to submit their wealth reports
\nbecause we need to examine it for material verification,\" Erry
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Most legislators who have already submitted their wealth
\nreports are provincial and regencies councillors, he said.<\/p>\n
According to Erry, KPK has finished examining about half of
\nthe wealth reports of former legislators and councillors. It has
\npublished them in the state archives.<\/p>\n
In another development, KPK announced that Central Kalimantan
\nGovernor Asmawi A. Gani has reported the first gratification case
\nto the commission since the issuance of Law No. 30\/2002 on KPK,
\nwhich requires all public officials to report gratification to
\nthe state.<\/p>\n
Gratification is any form of gifts given by a person, or a
\ngroup, or a corporation to public officials. Public officials are
\nrequired to report to the KPK if they received gratification. KPK
\nwould decide whether they were allowed to accept it or not.<\/p>\n
\"On Sept. 28, the governor informed us that he received Rp 20
\nmillion in cash as a birthday present. He brought the money,
\nwhich is still in its box,\" Sjahruddin Rasul, also the KPK deputy
\nchairman said.<\/p>\n
KPK has yet to decide whether Asmawi could bring the money
\nhome or not. Sjahruddin said that the commission would decide
\nthis month whether he deserved the money, or the money should be
\nput in the state coffer.<\/p>\n
\"We called on other officials to report gratification to us,\"
\nhe said, adding that it was mandatory to reduce bribery attempts
\nfor state officials.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/legislators-yet-to-submit-wealth-reports-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}