City taking its time on regaining ex-officials' cars

City taking its time on regaining ex-officials' cars

JAKARTA (JP): The city administration is playing its cards
close to its chest on its plan of action to reclaim dozens of
official cars kept illegally by retired officials.

As of Friday, none of the officials in charge, including
Deputy Governor of Administration Affairs Abdul Kahfi, were
willing to comment on possible sanctions if there was resistance
to returning the vehicles.

In carefully worded remarks, Kahfi told reporters that his
office "will look into the matter and keep on asking the
officials to return the cars".

The former officials, he said, violated governor's circular
No. 23/SE/98 dated July 24, 1998, on government vehicles.

Asked to elaborate, Kahfi, who has at least two official cars
at his disposal, tersely responded: "No more comments."

Separately, Governor Sutiyoso warned the retirees to strictly
conform to the city administration's request for the vehicle
return.

"The administration does not have extra money to purchase new
official cars," he said.

Fears are growing that any perceived dragging of feet on the
issue could lead a cynical public to conclude the administration
is not serious about reprimanding the errant retirees.

Others speculate that officials are loathe to crack down lest
the spotlight shine on their own use -- or abuse -- of official
perks.

Kahfi, for example, has reportedly kept the Toyota sedan which
was his official vehicle when he served as Central Jakarta mayor
from 1991 to 1996.

This is despite the provision of another vehicle befitting his
status as deputy governor.

The city administration has found at least 45 vehicles, mostly
Kijang vans, still in the possession of retired officials of the
South and North Jakarta mayoralties.

Data from the other mayoralties has not been announced.

"Many of them retired quite a long time ago," Kahfi said.

Head of the City Council's Commission C for financial affairs
Amarullah Asbah wondered why the repossession was not underway.

"It's supposed to be easy to regain city-owned vehicles kept
by the retirees because all of the cars are still the city's
official assets," Amarullah said.

"So the retired officials have no legal basis to keep the
cars."

Head of the city supplies office Dadang Ruskandar said on
Thursday he had instructed the city's five mayoralties to reclaim
the vehicles before the end of the 1998/1999 fiscal year in
March.

He refused to estimate the number of vehicles involved, saying
the count was not complete.

Dadang said the vehicles were crucial for the city
administration to make an accurate appraisal of its assets to
devise the new budget.

Retired officials, Dadang added, could purchase the cars as
long as the vehicles had been used for official functions for a
period of at least eight consecutive years and there was no
shortage of cars in their former work unit.

City secretary Fauzi Bowo said on Friday there was no malice
involved in the administration's appeal to the retired officials.

"We just need the cars back as they're badly needed by both
the administration and the mayoralties," Fauzi said. (ylt/ind)