Corruption allegations leveled at KPU

Corruption allegations leveled at KPU

M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

A coalition of non-governmental organizations filed a complaint
on Wednesday with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK)
over corruption allegations concerning the procurement of
materials for the legislative election by the General Elections
Commission (KPU).

The coalition, consisting of the Independent Committee for
Election Monitoring (KIPP), the Indonesian Forum for Budget
Transparency, the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta),
Indonesia Procurement Watch (IPW) and the Indonesian Forum for
Parliamentary Concern (Formappi), accused the KPU of involvement
in a markup over the procurement of election materials that
inflicted some Rp 375 billion (US$41.6 million) in losses on the
state.

"Based on our findings and analysis, there were large markups
in budget expenditure for the legislative election. All KPU
members and officials at the commission's secretariat-general
were involved," coalition spokesman Hermawanto said.

In its report, the coalition alleged that the KPU had spent
more than it should have done.

It said that the KPU spent an astronomical Rp 204.62 billion,
or a 616 percent increase on its original budget of Rp 28.5
billion, on distribution of the materials. State losses were
estimated at Rp 176.04 billion.

The elections commission incurred Rp 56.46 billion in state
losses over the procurement of ballot papers, following its
decision to increase the number of registered voters from 143.1
million to 147.6 million, and to raise the number of reserve
ballots from 2.5 percent to 10 percent.

"This is a blatant violation of the law on legislative
elections, which set the figure at 2.5 percent," it said.

In the procurement of ballot boxes and polling booths, the KPU
allegedly spent an additional Rp 111.1 billion and Rp 28.5
billion respectively.

The commission also allegedly accrued Rp 2.7 billion from the
purchase of 438 cars that were distributed to provincial
elections commissions (KPUDs).

The coalition also demanded the KPK use the authority at its
disposal to force the election commission to abandon its secrecy
when agreeing contracts with private firms.

"To curb corruption and collusion in the future, the KPK must
order the commission to be transparent on all contracts with
private firms," said Erna Ratnaningsih of LBH Jakarta.

The coalition gave the KPK three weeks to take follow-up
action on its report.

KPK member Erry Riyana Hardjapamekas said that besides the
coalition's report, his commission had also received similar
reports from other institutions. "If the data is complete we
shall carry out our own audit, which could lead to an
investigation," he said.

Contacted separately, KPU deputy chairman Ramlan Surbakti said
that all commission members were ready to face a summons from the
KPK.

Ramlan defended the KPU's decision to hike the legislative
election budget, saying that it was a consequence of having such
a short time in which to prepare for the election. "Our first
priority was to organize the election on time; we had to pay,
whatever the cost," he said.

He cited as an example that a delay in the printing of ballot
papers had prompted the commission to spend more on distribution
so that the ballots would reach the country's far-flung regions.

The government had to issue a regulation in lieu of law to
delay elections in some of the country's regions after the
commission failed to distribute election materials in time.