Ancol scandal clouds governor's accountability

JAKARTA (JP): Governor Sutiyoso, who is slated to deliver his accountability speech on Friday, has failed to fulfill his commitment to uphold the law because of his failure to resolve the controversy surrounding overseas trips and travel allowances provided to several councillors and city officials, critics within the council said on Thursday.

Chairman of the City Council's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction, Audy I.Z. Tambunan, said the governor has only fulfilled 40 percent of his eight commitments, stipulated before the City Council's annual session last July.

"Sutiyoso has not yet fulfilled the remaining 60 percent of his commitments, which includes upholding the law," Audy told reporters.

He said Sutiyoso's decision to exonerate two senior officials and punish only nine low-ranking officials for joining the controversial trips, known as the Ancol scandal, proved that the governor was not serious about enforcing the law.

City Inspector Hendarin Ono Saleh had recommended that Sutiyoso punish 11 officials, including City Development Agency chief Bambang Sungkono and head of the City Planning Agency, Ahmaddin Ahmad, for joining the trips.

Hendarin recently submitted his proposal for an early pension, which is believed to have been prompted by Sutiyoso's refusal to "evaluate" the positions of Bambang and Ahmaddin.

Audy said Sutiyoso's other commitments which were not fulfilled include the improvement of residential identity card (KTP) processing, controlling street vendors and improving security in the city.

Asked whether his faction will reject Sutiyoso's accountability speech, Audy replied: "If the speech is really bad, we will reject it. But, we'll listen to it first."

Sutiyoso's statement acquitting the 1999 city budget was rejected by the council last July. A month later, the council accepted his revised accountability speech after he instigated several reforms and promised to improve his administration.

A.H. Ishak, deputy chairman of the National Awakening Party (PKB) faction, shared Audy's opinion that the scandal was a serious factor to be considered in the council's evaluation of Sutiyoso's speech on Friday.

"We will question Sutiyoso regarding the scandal as the trip was financed by the 2000 city budget," Ishak, also a member of the City Council Commission E for Social Welfare Affairs, said.

In addition to being financed by the city budget, the "comparative study" trips to Japan, Australia and South Africa were also funded by city-owned developer PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol, which is proposing to develop a waterfront project in Ancol, North Jakarta.

As many as 45 people, including city officials and 16 councillors of the Commission D for Development Affairs, joined the trip. They reportedly received travel allowances from the company amounting to between US$5,000 and $10,000 each, in addition to the Rp 52 million ($5,200) in city funds which each delegate received.

Meanwhile, Jakarta Prosecutor's Office chief Basrief Arief said on Thursday that three councillors who had received the travel allowances but did not join the trips, were likely to be officially named as suspects in the case.

"Although the three have argued that they had returned the money, the investigation will continue," Basrief told reporters.

The three people were deputy council speaker Tarmidi Suhardjo and councillor Tarmidi Edy Suwarno, both members of PDI Perjuangan, and councillor Ali Imran Husein from the United Development Party (PPP).

While indicating that the investigation may be completed next week, Basrief said six other councillors, including City Council speaker Edy Waluyo, would also be questioned.

Meanwhile, Audy said his faction had decided that the two Tarmidis were not guilty.

"The allowances are still in the council's secretariat. The two councillors could not have joined the trip because they were busy with their party's meetings and conference," he said.

Audy suggested the governor punish the two senior officials, Bambang and Ahmaddin, who had allegedly persuaded councillors to join the trips.

Separately, City Council Spokesman Muhayat said on Thursday that the content of the governor's 64-page accountability speech will be based on the 2000 city budget. (jun)