Politically connected figures to dominate top audit agency<\/p>\n
Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The House of Representatives will start considering candidates
\nfor the new chairman and board members of the Supreme Audit
\nAgency (BPK) on Monday, with politically connected figures said
\nto top the list.<\/p>\n
The deputy chairman of House Commission IX for finance, Faisal
\nBaasyir, told The Jakarta Post over the weekend that the
\ncommission would try to choose the best candidates for BPK
\nchairman.<\/p>\n
\"What we need is figures that are independent and free of
\ncontroversy. This is important because this position is crucial
\nfor our effort to fight corruption in government ... We will try
\nto avoid vested interests,\" said Faisal.<\/p>\n
Faisal is from the United Development Party (PPP).<\/p>\n
No names have yet to be officially announced, but Faisal said
\nthat based on discussions with fellow politicians, the names
\ninclude former finance minister Bambang Sudibyo, senior lecturer
\nHadori Junus, chairman of the Indonesian Accountants Association
\n(IAI) Ahmadi Hadibroto and current BPK members Bambang Wahyudi,
\nMukrom As'ad and Amrin Siregar.<\/p>\n
Bambang Sudibyo, who was finance minister during the
\nAbdurrahman Wahid administration, has resumed his lecturing job
\nat Gadjah Mada University's School of Economics. He supports the
\nNational Mandate Party (PAN).<\/p>\n
Like Bambang, Hadori is a lecturer of Gadjah Mada's School of
\nEconomics who specializes in accounting.<\/p>\n
A legislator who refused to be named said that Hadori was
\nlikely to be the strongest candidate because he had been
\nnominated by the winner of the 1999 general election, the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).<\/p>\n
Hadori is the chairman of the Marhaenism Family Organization.
\nIt remains unclear if the organization has any connection with
\nPDI-P.<\/p>\n
Other candidates who have links with political parties are
\nMukrom As'ad and Bambang Wahyudi.<\/p>\n
From 1989 to 1994, Mukrom was the head of the cultural and
\nsocial department of the PPP and was one of the party's
\nlegislators during the 1982-1987 and 1992-1997 periods, while
\nBambang was a Golkar Party legislator from 1992 to 1997.<\/p>\n
Concerning the possibility of current BPK chairman Satrio B.
\nJudono being reelected, Faisal said the possibility was small
\nbecause Satrio was nearly 65 years old, the official retirement
\nage for BPK chairman and board members. Satrio was born in 1940.<\/p>\n
Analysts previously said it was virtually impossible to expect
\nthe selection process to be free from political bargaining given
\nthe importance of the agency.<\/p>\n
The BPK is tasked with examining the implementation of the
\nstate budget by the government and the financial reports of state
\ninstitutions, including state-owned enterprises, with attention
\nfocused on corruption and other financial irregularities.<\/p>\n
The agency consists of one chairman, one deputy chairman and
\nfive members. According to Law No. 5\/1973, the chairman, deputy
\nchairman and members of the BPK are nominated by the House and
\nappointed by the president.<\/p>\n
The five-year tenure of the current BPK chairman and members
\nended on Oct. 8 last year, but President Megawati Soekarnoputri
\nextended their tenure until the election of the new chairman and
\nboard members.<\/p>\n
Commission IX plans to screen the candidates starting on
\nWednesday, and will submit the results on Feb. 16 to all
\nlegislators for approval during the House's plenary session.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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