Cabinet ministers beat wealth report deadline

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) announced on Wednesday that all members of the United Indonesia Cabinet have submitted their wealth reports ahead of the Dec. 20 deadline.

However, some former ministers of Megawati Soekarnoputri's cabinet, members of the House of Representatives, the Regional Representatives Council and the regional councils have yet to fulfill their obligations.

KPK deputy chairman Sjahruddin Rasul said the commission has yet to finish administrative verifications on wealth reports of all 37 members of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's cabinet.

"We have yet to declare seven more. One has been verified, while six others are still in progress," he told a press conference at his office.

During the press conference, KPK declared the wealth of 12 more ministers, bringing the number of Cabinet members whose wealth reports have been declared to 30.

Communication Minister Hatta Radjasa and Social Affairs Minister Bachtiar Chamsyah were present in the press conference and declared their respective wealth, but 10 others failed to join the event.

Hatta declared that he owned a total of Rp 9.6 billion and US$ 10,000 in wealth, while Bachtiar has Rp 3.4 billion.

Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Alwi Shihab owns Rp 16.6 billion and $210,000, TNI chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto Rp 2.9 billion, National Education Minister Bambang Sudibyo Rp 12.4 billion and $2,000, Cabinet Secretary Sudi Silalahi Rp 1.01 billion, Forestry Minister MS Kaban Rp 1.6 billion, State Secretary Yusril Ihza Mahendar Rp 6.9 billion and $110,000, State Minister of Communication and Information Sofyan Djalil Rp 5.2 billion and $91,000, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro Rp 6 billion and $170,000, Public Works Minister Djoko Kirmanto Rp 3.5 billion and $49,000 as well as Industry Minister Andung Nitimihardja Rp 2 billion and $22,000.

As of Wednesday, only six members of Megawati's cabinet have submitted their wealth reports by the Dec. 20 deadline.

The commission is awaiting wealth reports for 17 former ministers including Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Jakti, Faisal Tamin, Manuel Kaisiepo, Kwik Kian Gie, Syamsul Mu'arif, Laksamana Sukardi, Sri Redjeki Sumaryoto, Nabiel Makarim, Bambang Kesowo, Hari Sabarno, Matori Abdul Djalil, Said Agil Husin, Jacob Nuwa Wea, Agum Gumelar, Bungaran Saragih, M. Prakosa and Rokhmin Dahuri.

KPK also said that as many as 270 of 550 legislators in the House of Representatives have yet to submit their wealth reports, 21 of 128 DPD members and most of some 12,000 councillors across the country. Their deadline was Dec. 1, 2004.

Law No. 28/1999 on clean corruption-free governance and Law No. 30/2002 on KPK require state officials to declare their wealth one month after their inauguration and also after they complete their tenure.