Councillors reject wealth audit

BANDUNG: The Association of Provincial Legislative Councils has told its members to defy the government's policy requiring them to declare their wealth to the State Officials' Wealth Audit Commission (KPKPN).

"Basically we are not objecting or afraid of the audit. We don't mind if we are examined by foreign auditors. What we oppose is the legal principle in relation to the wealth audit," spokesman for the association Bisjrie Abdul Djalil, who is also speaker of the East Java provincial council, said over the weekend.

The association's chairman, Eddy Walujo, who is also speaker of the Jakarta council, said that KPKPN should first establish provincial offices to be tasked with helping the central commission audit provincial officials and councillors.

Concluding the meeting, the councillors agreed to send a letter to KPKPN to convey their objections and calls to establish a provincial audit commission.

The meeting was attended by representatives of five provincial councils from East Java, West Java, Yogyakarta, East Kalimantan and Jakarta. (25)