NGO data alleges massive corruption in Tangerang<\/p>\n
Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang<\/p>\n
Two non governmental organizations (NGOs) that specialize in
\nobserving the performance of the Tangerang mayoralty said that
\nthey found a large amount of budget misappropriation and project
\nfailures in 2001.<\/p>\n
\"I can guarantee that Mayor M. Thamrin will deliver mostly
\nfalse reports in his accountability speech in March 2002,\" Ibnu
\nJandi from the NGO, Public Policy, told The Jakarta Post last
\nweek.<\/p>\n
He said that after conducting several surveys, he found that a
\nRp 24 billion fund allocated for 14 development programs in
\nTangerang had been misused and the projects were not done.<\/p>\n
\"I think these were all just bogus projects with the money
\ndistributed among officials, because in my observation, none of
\nthe budgeted programs took place. Also some of the programs had
\nbeen budgeted twice under routine expenses,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said that the double-allocated funds include the Rp 1.4
\nbillion fund for an urban innovation management project, Rp 100
\nmillion for a bylaw dissemination program, Rp 600 million to make
\nzoning plans, Rp 200 million for administrative development
\ncontrol, Rp 200 million for the establishment of a regional
\ndevelopment program (Properda), Rp 50 million for supportive
\nfunctional controlling activities, Rp 50 million for regional
\ndevelopment planning, Rp 150 million for public development
\nplanning and Rp 500 million for support of political parties.<\/p>\n
He also said that in addition to allocating a fund of Rp 350
\nmillion to purchase the equipment for the city's water company
\n(PDAM), the administration also double-allocated a fund of Rp
\n221.4 million to purchase furniture for PDAM.<\/p>\n
\"I think budget allocation for the furniture should have been
\nincluded in the routine expenses of the company,\" Jandi said.<\/p>\n
He said that neither the municipal Development Planning Body
\nChief, Affandi Permana, or chairman of the Budget Committee,
\nBusro, could explain why the programs were not done nor where the
\nmoney had gone.<\/p>\n
He added that Busro, who is also a local councillor, claimed
\nthat the failures resulted from a lack of vision or mission from
\nMayor M. Thamrin.<\/p>\n
The administration earlier predicted its annual revenues to
\nreach Rp 326 billion with expenses at Rp 319 billion, leaving a
\nsurplus of Rp 7.5 billion for 2001. But as of December, the
\nsurplus was some Rp 55 billion.<\/p>\n
Jandi added that he would urge investigators to look into the
\nalleged misuse soon.<\/p>\n
Separately, Tony Wismantoro of Tangerang Government Watch
\n(TGW) said the failures should not be blamed on the Mayor's
\nperformance alone.<\/p>\n
According to him, the failures should be partly blamed on the
\nmunicipal council that had approved the proposed budget programs
\nwithout involving local community components such as NGOs,
\nbusinessmen, public figures, experts, professionals and
\nobservers.<\/p>\n
\"All sectors of the community should have a voice in the
\nprocess of creating the budget and it should be made transparent
\nto the general public. But, in fact, the mayoralty did not do it
\nthat way,\" he told the Post last week.<\/p>\n
Both Jandi and Tony also criticized the construction of an
\nadministration office center, which cost Rp 68 billion, while the
\nmayoralty actually still has a number of buildings that could be
\nused.<\/p>\n
\"Why not build a recreational center for local tourism or
\nbusiness centers. I think their only aim is to build an expensive
\nbuilding while ignoring the public interest,\" said Jandi.<\/p>\n
\"What the local people really need is an improvement of public
\nfacilities such as the markets in Cikokol, Cileduk and Anyer, and
\nbus terminals such as the one in Cimone. Unfortunately no fund
\nhas been allocated for those needs,\" Tony said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Thamrin denied allegations of corruption or program
\nfailure during 2001. \"No...no..., there was no misappropriation
\nat all. The budget items were allocated properly and all planned
\ndevelopment programs have been implemented according to the
\ninitial plans,\" he told the Post recently.<\/p>\n
However, when the Post showed him a list of the NGO reports,
\nThamrin took the list and said he needed time to study it. Then,
\nhe added, \"The misappropriation could mean that budget
\nallocations were not in line with the planned programs. But I am
\nsure that there was no fund misappropriation at all.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ngo-data-alleges-massive-corruption-in-tangerang-1447893297",
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