BPK suspects corruption at KPU

Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) hinted on Wednesday that a corruption case involving the General Elections Commission (KPU) may be expanded to include more officials in charge of the provision of election materials for the last polls.

BPK chairman Anwar Nasution said an investigative audit by the agency found strong indications that more KPU officials might be involved in the abuse of state funds, or at least had knowledge of the abuse.

"The BPK already sensed financial abuses at the KPU in the provision of election materials months before the investigative audit started. It is just irrational that they did not know about these practices," said Anwar before a meeting with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) opened an investigation into corruption at the KPU after an official at the elections commission, Mulyana W. Kusumah, was caught allegedly attempting to bribe a BPK auditor to influence the audit of some Rp 301 billion (US$32 million) in general election funds.

Anwar said the alleged abuse at the elections commission included the procurement of ballot papers, boxes, ink and registration cards.

"All officials dealing with such provisions could have been involved in the abuses. This is based on our investigation. However, the law enforcers and the courts will have to prove whether they were involved or not," he said.

The KPK's investigation is expected to receive a boost when the BPK submits a report on its investigative audit to the House of Representatives on Thursday.

"We are going to submit the audit to the House so that the public will know what is really going on at the KPU," Anwar said, adding that audits by the BPK could not be made public before being officially submitted to the House.

The KPK has questioned a number of KPU officials over the alleged bribery and corruption at the commission.

According to the KPK, Mulyana has named three other KPU officials who were in charge of procuring election materials.

The three are Chusnul Mar'iyah, Daan Dimara and Rusadi Kantaprawira, all of whom supervised the procurement of materials and services such as technology and information, registration forms and ink.