BPK suspects corruption at KPU
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.