Wealth commission in uphill battle with councillors<\/p>\n
Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Public Servants' Wealth Audit Commission (KPKPN) plans to
\nreport seven Jakarta city councillors, including a brother-in-law
\nof President Megawati, to the city police for not reporting their
\nwealth, a commission executive said on Friday.<\/p>\n
"We have sent warning letters two times to the councillors and
\nwill send the third letters next Monday," the commission's deputy
\nchairman for legislative affairs Abdullah Hehamahua told
\nreporters.<\/p>\n
Abdullah said the commission would file a report to the police
\n10 days after the third letter is sent (Dec. 26) if the
\ncouncillors had not responded by that time.<\/p>\n
According to the commission's list, the seven councillors,
\ninclude Santayana Kiemas, who is the brother of Megawati's
\nhusband Taufik Kiemas, and Lambertus Gainadara from the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan).<\/p>\n
The others are Tubagus Abas Soleh Makmun and Mohamad Ishak
\nfrom the National Awakening Party (PKB), Nazamuddin and Edy
\nSuchro of the National Mandate Party (PAN) and Saud Rahman of the
\nUnited Development Party, who died several months ago.<\/p>\n
KPKPN apparently was not aware of the passing of Edy.<\/p>\n
According to the law, the commission has the right to
\ninvestigate the officials' wealth but prosecution is to be
\nhandled by the police.<\/p>\n
If it is found that the wealth was gained through corruption,
\nthe officials could be dismissed and face trial.<\/p>\n
However, as of this week, the position of KPKPN has gotten
\nconsiderably weaker as the House of Representatives approved a
\nbill which will disband the commission and set up an entirely new
\nAnti Corruption Commission, which will start from scratch and
\neffectively negating all the background work that KPKPN has done
\nfor the last few years.<\/p>\n
KPKPN will be disbanded when the Anti Corruption Commission is
\nset up within a year after the House's approval, which occurred
\nlast week.<\/p>\n
The liquidation of KPKPN is widely believed to be due to the
\ncommission's strong, honest investigations into the wealth of
\nstate officials and politicians.<\/p>\n
On Dec. 4, the commission reported Attorney General M.A.
\nRachman to the National Police headquarters after they found
\nevidence of serious irregularities with the country's top law
\nenforcement official.<\/p>\n
Weeks before reporting to the police, KPKPN had grilled
\nRachman for allegedly trying to cover up several valuable assets,
\nincluding a luxurious mansion in Jakarta. Rachman is still in
\noffice and refuses to step down, while Megawati, who appointed
\nhim has said she would not ask him to step down.<\/p>\n
But many doubt that the police will take KPKPN's report very
\nseriously since the police will eventually have to hand over all
\ncriminal dossiers to the Attorney General's Office while Rachman
\nremains the boss and all his deputies have sworn their loyalty to
\nhim personally, apparently in lieu of what any law says.<\/p>\n
Police also need to get presidential permission to investigate
\nRahman, or ask for the Minister of Home Affairs approval if they
\nwant to investigate city councillors. So the process could still
\ntake a very long time.<\/p>\n
Abdullah said on Friday that KPKPN also found that the wealth
\nof the 78 councillors of the city's 85 councillors who had
\nsubmitted their reports had sharply increased.<\/p>\n
"The councillors claimed that the wealth was secured
\n'according to procedures'. But we will recheck them," Abdullah
\nsaid without mentioning details of the wealth.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/wealth-commission-in-uphill-battle-with-councillors-1447893297",
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