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)