Councilor wants graft at parking agency revealed

Councilor wants graft at parking agency revealed

JAKARTA (JP): A senior city councilor demanded yesterday that
the city administration reveal the results of its investigation
into corruption among parking officials.

Helmy AR Syihab, the chairman of the city council's
Commission C, in charge of financial affairs, said that a public
announcement of the investigation results would strengthen public
trust in the administration.

"The results of the investigation should be revealed to the
public, especially to the City Council, so that tax payers will
know what has actually happened," said the councilor from the
United Development Party.

The investigation into the alleged corruption involving BP
Perparkiran, the city agency which oversees parking affairs, was
ordered by governor Surjadi Soedirdja earlier this year.

Several officials of the city parking authority are suspected
of having embezzled billions of rupiah transferred by 147
companies appointed to manage parking.

The parking agency has repeatedly come under public scrutiny
for its failure to collect parking fees as targeted. This year
the city administration expects Rp 16 billion ($7.2 million) from
the parking authority.

In a related development, councilor Ismunandar of the
Indonesian Democratic Party urged the administration yesterday to
reveal the results of its study on a more suitable parking
system.

Ismunandar, a deputy to the city council chairman, said that
the governor should keep his promise that it would announce the
results of the study as soon as possible. (32)