Agency wavering in wealth audit

Agency wavering in wealth audit

JAKARTA (JP): The agency tasked to audit the wealth of civil
servants is apprehensive about looking into the wealth of top
officials.

The Public Servants' Wealth Audit Commission (KPKPN) head
Yusuf Syakir said here on Thursday that he was not sure the
agency would be able to face high ranking officials such as the
President, Vice President, Speakers of the People's Consultative
Assembly and House of Representatives, legislators and ministers.

"Despite limited investigative authority, we still encounter
psychological and cultural barriers in our investigation into
high ranking officials whose assets have been questioned by the
public," he said.

The agency has so far received wealth reports from 2,740
officials, including President Megawati Soekarnoputri and aims to
audit only around 1,500 of the total reports this year.

Separately, Chairman of Muhammadiyah Youth Organization Imam
Addaruquitni said after a meeting with Vice President Hamzah Haz
that public accountability was very important and state officials
should set an example by providing actual and transparent reports
to the public of their wealth.

"There should be an investigation into all kinds of gifts
(received by public servants), to ensure transparency in the
wealth report," Hamzah said as quoted by Imam in the press
conference.

Controversy over the "gifts" included in the public servants'
wealth report surged following reports that many politicians and
government officials received a huge number of gifts, without a
clear explanation as to who gave it to them.

KPKPN is to investigate questionable assets gained by
officials from third parties Yusuf said.

"We will start summoning their owners on Friday (today) in an
attempt to seek clarification about where they gained them from,"
he told The Jakarta Post.

Syakir declined to identify the officials to be investigated
on the grounds of the presumption of innocence, but conceded many
have reported their assets they gained from third parties.

A number of officials, including former minister of finance
Fuad Bawazier and House of Representatives Deputy Speaker
Muhaimin Iskandar, have reportedly submitted the list of their
assets, including those obtained from a third party.

"KPKPN will summon not only the officials but also the third
parties as witnesses. The officials who are believed to have
obtained their wealth through corrupt and collusive practices
will undergo further investigation by police and prosecutors," he
said.

Syakir explained that KPKPN has thus far audited the wealth of
160 officials, including President Megawati Soekarnoputri, House
of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Akbar Tandjung, People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Amien Rais and Chief Justice
Bagir Manan.

"So far, there isn't anything irregular about their assets,"
he said, adding that KPKPN would monitor the assets of state
officials once every six months or annually in order to make sure
that they gained their wealth "naturally".

Syakir, who was promoted by the United Development Party (PPP)
to the top position at the commission, said KPKPN would maintain
transparency while carrying out its tasks.

KPKPN has held a weekly media conference to announce the
latest developments of its investigation, he said, urging the
public to help detect any dishonesty among officials in
announcing their wealth.

"We will provide protection for those who voluntarily report
on corrupt, collusive and nepotistic practices," he said.

He added that KPKPN would cooperate with state universities in
provinces to help KPKPN do its task of auditing wealth of public
officials.

Despite a shortage of professional staff, the 25-member
commission has strived to audit the wealth of hundreds of
thousands of officials in central government, MPR/DPR, provincial
and regency legislatures, the Indonesian Military, the National
Police, courts, prosecutor's offices and state-owned companies,
he said.

Syakir added that KPKPN would also cooperate with the Ministry
of Finance to detect officials who failed to pay their income
taxes in accordance with their wealth.

"Such cooperation is needed to help the government maximize
its tax revenues," he said. (dja/rms)