Councillors ask for city chapter of KPKPN

JAKARTA (JP): In an apparent effort to buy time in declaring their wealth, city councillors demanded the State Officials' Wealth Audit Commission (KPKPN) establish a city chapter, as stated by law, to audit their wealth.

During a meeting with KPKPN officials at the council building, city council chairman Edy Waluyo said that he had sent a letter to the commission, demanding the establishment of the city branch of PKPN as required by Law No. 28/1999.

"We will fill out our forms to declare our assets, but we will hand over the forms after the KPKPN's city chapter is established. We have agreed on that," Edy told reporters after the meeting.

He said the council would soon discuss the establishment of KPKPN's city chapter with the commission, including financing the chapter's operation.

He denied allegations that the demand for KPKPN to establish its city chapter was part of the councillors' tactics to avoid declaring their wealth to the PKPN, that would later publish them.

Meanwhile, KPKPN's legislative committee chief Abdullah Hehamahua said the establishment of the commission's city chapter was not really mandated by the law.

"The law states that the function of the chapter is to help KPKPN. If we feel that we do not need the help, the city chapter is unnecessary," Abdullah said.

He said the establishment of PKPN chapters in each province and regency would be costly for the state since according to the law, it should be financed by the state budget.

But he agreed provided that a province was able finance the commission's chapter.

"It would take time. For the time being, the councillors should submit their wealth declaration forms to us," he said.

He said if the councillors still refused, the commission would announce their refusal to the public within the next three months.

City councillors earlier rejected the commission's demand, claiming that they were not state officials since they did not receive a monthly salary or pension.

Many believed that the councillors were afraid that their massive wealth collected in the past two years would be made public.

Two years ago when they were inaugurated as city councillors, only two of the 76 councillors declared that they had wealth of more than Rp 1 billion while the remaining 74 councillors had less. (jun)