BPK's findings

BPK's findings

The Jakarta Post, on Sept. 25, 2003 carried the headline: BPK
slams govt over corruption over its report that the Supreme Audit
Agency (BPK) had reported to the Attorney General's Office and
the National Police, a total 6,162 suspected corruption cases
since 2001 but that only 505 cases, or 8 percent, had been
investigated by both law enforcement agencies. The BPK also
claimed that it had discovered 174 cases of irregularities
between January and June this year, which had potentially caused
a total of Rp 233 billion in losses to the state.

On the same day, the media reported Vice President Hamzah
Haz's "challenge" to the House of Representatives (DPR) -- to be
more pro-active in following up the BPK's findings by using the
latter's rights. This invitation from the Vice President -- that
the executive would allow the legislative to help eradicate this
chronic disease -- came as a surprise.

Every single Indonesian who feels frustrated and concerned
over the rampant practices of corruption, collusion, and nepotism
(KKN) must, of course, throw their weight behind the DPR for
speedier eradication of these practices. The DPR's response to
this challenge was unfortunately disappointing. Legislators
requested the government to follow up the BPK's findings. These
legislators seem to ignore their own role as one of an external
supervisory body. They should have realized the impossibility of
the government's quick correction of its own mistakes.

The "ball" -- in terms of graft cases -- to be kicked is now
in the DPR's hands. If it is really concerned over the country's
plight it should pro-actively clampdown on these dirty practices
by holding consultations with the BPK. Not once or twice a year,
but once a month as proposed by the Vice President.

M. RUSDI

Jakarta