Ministry of Finance ranks top for corruption<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Ministry of Finance ranks first in the
\namount of funds involved in corruption practices, followed by the
\nMinistry of Agriculture, according to the Development Finance
\nComptroller (BPKP).<\/p>\n
The audit agency's findings of malfeasance in ministries were
\nrevealed here yesterday by Achmad Zainuri of the United
\nDevelopment Party (PPP) to reporters during a break of the
\nagency's hearing with Commission II of the House of
\nRepresentatives.<\/p>\n
According to Zainuri, who based his figures on BPKP's report
\nto the House, financial irregularities taking place in the
\nMinistry of Finance during the period between September and
\nDecember last fiscal year reached Rp 179 billion (US$77.8
\nmillion).<\/p>\n
The audit agency's chairman, Soedarjono, who disclosed the
\ntotal number of corruption cases in the last three fiscal years
\nduring the hearing, confirmed corruption practices in eight
\nministries.<\/p>\n
The irregularities found in the Ministry of Finance did not
\ninclude the Rp 900 billion in financial losses resulting from a
\nloan scandal at the state-owned Bank Pembangunan Indonesia
\n(Bapindo) in 1993.<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Agriculture came in the second place, with
\ntotal irregularities amounting to over Rp 48.9 billion, followed
\nby the Ministry of Home Affairs, with over Rp 30.8 billion in
\nfinancial irregularities.<\/p>\n
In addition, the Ministry of Transportation was fourth, with
\npotential losses of Rp 19.7 billion; the Ministry of Mines and
\nEnergy, fifth, with Rp 18.1 billion; and the Ministry of
\nCooperatives, sixth, with Rp 11.5 billion.<\/p>\n
The irregularities found in the Ministry of Industry and Trade
\nreached Rp 10 billion. Those in the Office of the State
\nSecretariat amounted to Rp 28 million.<\/p>\n
Soedarjono said that the irregularities in the Ministry of
\nFinance included those relating to tax payments.<\/p>\n
\"Tax frauds carried out by taxpayers were also included in the
\nmalfeasance discovered in the Ministry of Finance,\" he said in
\nexplaining the reason for the large number of corrupt practices
\nestimated to have taken place in the Ministry of Finance.<\/p>\n
In addition to the lack of internal supervision, the Ministry
\nof Finance, which oversees most of the country's financial
\nactivities, is more appealing for corruption, he said.<\/p>\n
Soedarjono told the hearing that the irregularity findings in
\ngovernment offices, agencies and state-owned companies sharply
\ndeclined in value to Rp 888.72 billion in the 1995\/96 fiscal year
\nending in March, from Rp 2.64 trillion in the previous fiscal
\nyear.<\/p>\n
The number of the corruption cases increased to 18,578 in
\n1995\/96 from 15,732 a year earlier.<\/p>\n
Soedarjono, however, complained that only 2,667 (or 15
\npercent) of the total findings, with potential state losses of
\naround Rp 59.41 billion, had been settled.<\/p>\n
He said that all of his agency's findings were reported to
\nrelated government offices, which would, in turn, settle the
\ncorruption practices either through their internal supervisory
\nbodies or through state prosecutors' offices.<\/p>\n
He said that corruption practices remain rampant in government
\noffices because officials both in the executive levels or in
\nlower ranks do not really care about the internal supervision in
\ntheir offices.<\/p>\n
\"The compromising culture in the bureaucracy renders the
\ninternal control ineffective,\" he said, adding that the
\nIndonesians culture, which stresses \"excessive\" respect for
\nseniors and the avoidance of hurting people's feelings, was also
\nan important factor behind the high corruption rate in the
\ncountry. (hen)<\/p>\n
Agrintara -- Page 8<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ministry-of-finance-ranks-top-for-corruption-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }