City audit agency finds Rp 42b losses from budget

City audit agency finds Rp 42b losses from budget

Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The City Audit Agency (Bawasda) has found irregularities
amounting to Rp 42 billion (US$4.94 million) in the city's Rp 9.3
trillion budget in 2002.

However, the figure is far smaller than the total amount of
irregularities found by the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK), which put
the figure at Rp 140.16 billion.

Agency head Firman Hutajulu revealed the finding to Governor
Sutiyoso in a meeting at Hotel Horison in Ancol, North Jakarta,
on Thursday.

The agency found 836 irregularities in projects funded from
last year's budget. The irregularities involved Rp 97 billion but
Rp 55 billion was returned to the administration.

"We can't find the Rp 42 billion," he said.

The irregularities involved the City Building Assessment and
Supervision Agency (P2B), City Street Illumination Agency (PJU),
City Basic Education Agency, City High and Higher Education
Agency, City Population and Civil Registration Agency and City
Transportation Agency.

Firman refused to mention any names.

In February, the BPK reported to the House of Representatives
on its findings of alleged corruption worth Rp 140.16 billion in
the city administration. The BPK reported the irregularities were
found in eight agencies.

Several analysts estimate that more than 30 percent of the
city budget has been stolen by officials.

Tubagus Haryo Karbyanto, an executive at the Jakarta Legal Aid
Institute (LBH Jakarta) dealing with urban affairs, said that
rampant corruption in the administration had contributed to the
poor audit conducted by Bawasda.

"It is unlikely the head of Bawasda will be able to work
professionally if they audit a case that may involve his
superiors," he said.

Firman claimed his agency had followed up all irregularities
and punished those involved.

He said so far 20 officials had received heavy punishment, 43
medium punishment and 42 light punishment.

Firman stressed that officials receiving heavy punishment were
removed from their positions and their cases submitted to the
Attorney General's Office for possible charges.

Not one case involving city administration officials has
reached the court. Sutiyoso said the cases, which were handled by
the office, were no longer his responsibility.

"It is possible that there is KKN (corruption, collusion, and
nepotism) (between officials and prosecutors). But it is not my
responsibility."