State officials reluctant to disclose wealth<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Many state officials have demonstrated their
\nunwillingness to disclose their wealth and assets as only 13
\npercent of the total forms distributed by the Public Servants'
\nWealth Audit Commission (KPKPN) have been returned.<\/p>\n
The head of KPKPN's judicial division Chairul Imam said on
\nWednesday that a total of 24,999 forms have been distributed
\nsince March. But only 3,126 forms have been returned.<\/p>\n
\"We gave the National Police headquarters 150 forms on March
\n23. But so far we have received less than 50 completed forms. The
\nNational Police chief has not returned it, neither the newly
\ninstalled one nor the old chief,\" he told a media conference here
\non Wednesday.<\/p>\n
All the officials should have returned their wealth audit
\nforms one month after it was received by them.<\/p>\n
The ironic thing, he said, is that very few officials at the
\nAttorney General's Office have returned the forms, while they are
\nsupposed to be the on the vanguard in combating corruption.<\/p>\n
\"We distributed a total of 157 forms on April 19. But up until
\nnow, over three months later, not even 20 forms have been
\nreturned,\" Chairul said.<\/p>\n
Former attorney general Marzuki Darusman has yet to declare
\nhis wealth to the commission.<\/p>\n
\"Many failed to give any reason why they haven't submitted it.
\nThere are also officials who said that they haven't got documents
\nto substantiate their wealth,\" Chairul said.<\/p>\n
He said beginning next month, his office are going to start
\nverifying all the reports.<\/p>\n
Among the officials whose wealth was declared on Wednesday was
\nArifin Panigoro, chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle at the House of Representatives, whose assets are worth
\nRp 245.4 billion and US$2,299,222. According to the report, he
\nhas no debt.<\/p>\n
Separately on Wednesday, Government Watch (Gowa) coordinator
\nFarid R. Faqih criticized the form submitted by KPKPN as
\nincomplete as it, for instance, does not state the period of time
\nthe officials occupied their positions.<\/p>\n
\"The commission should also set a limitation on grants, as
\ngrants and bribes sometimes cannot be differentiated,\" he told
\nThe Jakarta Post over the phone.<\/p>\n
KPKPN, he added, should also coordinate with the taxation
\ndepartment and non-governmental organizations in the verification
\nof assets.<\/p>\n
He also suspected that many officials were not honest in
\nfilling out the forms.<\/p>\n
The head of the commission, Yusuf Syakir stated in March that
\naccording to Law No. 28\/1999 on clean government, all state
\nofficials should declare their wealth, otherwise administrative
\nsanctions could be taken against them.<\/p>\n
The maximum administrative sanction is dismissal. But the
\ncommission has limitations as no one could fire a legislator, he
\nsaid. (hdn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/state-officials-reluctant-to-disclose-wealth-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}