Akbar is 33 times richer than Amien

Akbar is 33 times richer than Amien

JAKARTA (JP): A list of the declared wealth of 77 officials
and legislators issued by the State Officials' Wealth Audit
Commission (KPKPN) here on Tuesday revealed House of
Representatives speaker Akbar Tandjung to be 33 times richer than
People's Consultative Assembly speaker Amien Rais. Amien claims
to only possess total assets worth Rp 1 billion (US$90,000).

KPKPN deputy chairman Abdullah Hehamahua revealed that Akbar
had registered a personal estate worth Rp 33.4 billion ($3.03
million).

Included in Akbar's list of possessions were eight plots of
land and houses, four automobiles and three motorcycles.

Akbar also registered valuables in the form of jewelry worth
Rp 355.7 million.

The House speaker also held stocks said to be worth Rp 12
billion and a credit transfer account amounting to Rp 688.6
million.

Meanwhile Amien registered two plots of land and houses, three
cars and three motorcycles.

Amien also cataloged family jewelry worth Rp 8.4 million and a
bank account totaling Rp 378.4 million.

This is the third list made public by the commission, making a
total of 181 government officials whose wealth and assets have
been announced.

All state officials and legislators are now required to have
their personal wealth audited.

Included in the latest list were House deputy speakers Tosari
Wijaya with an accumulated wealth of Rp 3.7 billion and Soetardjo
Soerjoguritno with Rp 2.03 billion.

The wealthiest among the officials on Tuesday's list was
legislator R.H.M. Hussein Naro from the United Party, who topped
the list with total assets of Rp 97.431 billion plus US$468,000
in cash.

Almost all of the assets, or some Rp 96 billion in the form of
houses and land, were said to be inherited from Hussein's father
former deputy speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly/House
of Representatives and politician, the late Jailani Naro.

The first publication was announced on April 18 which revealed
the wealth of 47 government officials, including that of
President Abdurrahman Wahid and Vice President Megawati
Soekarnoputri.

Megawati and her husband, legislator Taufik Kiemas, topped the
list with total assets of Rp 59.81 billion while Abdurrahman only
ranked number eight with total assets of some Rp 3.5 billion.

Almost half of the President's assets were made up of
donations received during the first year of his presidency.

The second list was announced last Tuesday which detailing the
wealth of 57 bureaucrats and legislators. Rekso Ageng Herman, a
legislator from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan) topped the roster with total assets worth Rp 94.4
billion.

But after the third list was made public on Tuesday, Hussein
Naro appears to be the wealthiest official so far.

According to Hehamahua, the announcement will be followed by
an investigation starting in June.

"We will verify whether the data is true or not," he told a
media conference here.

He said that they also welcomed public reports about the
data's accuracy.

Hehamahua admitted that the commission had received reports
that President Abdurrahman did not include his house in Jl.
Irian, Central Jakarta on the list.

"We also received a report that Megawati still has another 10
antiques which have not been included in the form. We're still
investigating it," he said.

The commission have distributed 9,227 forms to 2,742 public
servants at state-owned companies; 4,313 executive officials;
1,948 legislators and 224 judicial officials since February.

So far, only 528 people have returned the form.

Hehamahua said that the commission has cautioned those who had
not returned the forms, through telephone or letters.

"I understand that this is a new thing for all of us, so we
have given them more time," he said. (hdn)