Anwar to lead BPK in 2004-2009

Anwar to lead BPK in 2004-2009

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Anwar Nasution, former deputy senior governor of the central
bank, has been named chairman of the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK)
-- a state body overseeing the use of state funds in the budget
and state institutions by both the central and local governments.

A decree on Anwar's appointment has been signed by outgoing
President Megawati Soekarnoputri, State/Cabinet Secretary Bambang
Kesowo confirmed on Tuesday.

"It was under Presidential Decree No. 185M dated today,"
Bambang told reporters.

The signing of the decree, although made on her last day in
office, should end months of confusion since the House of
Representatives had submitted the names of candidates for both
the chairmanship and membership of the body in June.

BPK Law No. 5/1973 stipulates that BPK members are proposed by
the House before being selected by the president. In June, the
House sent in the list of a total of 21 names -- which included
former president of state oil and gas firm Pertamina Baihaki
Hakim -- to fill seven positions in the agency.

BPK's structure consists of a chairman, a deputy chairman and
five members for which the House picked three candidates for each
position.

Anwar would replace Satrio B. Judono as BPK chairman for the
next five years -- whose term actually expired late last year.

Bambang added that senior legislator Abdullah Zainie, the
former head of the House state budget committee, had been
selected as deputy chairman of the agency.

"As for the five members, the president has appointed Imran,
Baharudin Aritonang, Hasan Bisri, Udju Juhaeri and I Gusti Agung
Rai," said Bambang.

The selection process itself has drawn a fair share of
criticism, including from the existing members of BPK who claimed
that the process violated the Constitution as it did not seek
consent from the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) -- which
would only operate from the next government on.

The House however, insisted that the process was not illegal
in any way, referring to the addendum to the amended Constitution
which stipulates that all decisions must refer to the existing
law until a new law to replace the old one is enacted.

BPK's role is critical in the drive to help root out rampant
corruption in the country. But the agency has often complained
that many of its findings had largely been ignored by law makers
and the government.

BPK reported in September that it had found indications of
corruption amounting to Rp 166.5 trillion (about US$18 billion)
in the use of state funds over the past several years. The agency
has also listed the Attorney General's Office as among of the top
abusers of state funds.

Anwar is an outspoken economist who had previously described
the central bank as a den of thieves, before assuming a top post
at Bank Indonesia.