Donation from Brunei questioned
JAKARTA (JP): Legislators and observers on Monday censured President Abdurrahman Wahid's acceptance of millions of dollars in personal donations saying that while it is currently not unlawful, it is ethically questionable.
The censure came following Abdurrahman's insistence that he accepted a US$2 million humanitarian assistance for Aceh from Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah as a personal donation.
The Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) said Abdurrahman's acceptance of the donation "is an unethical act as it relates to a financial gift to a public official which opens the way for potential corruption".
Abdurrahman's acceptance of such a donation, the corruption watchdog said, "shows the lack of understanding President Abdurrahman Wahid and the Indonesian government has of the principles of public finance and public accountability".
In a statement signed by coordinator, Teten Masduki, ICW said the President must clarify if he accepted the donation as a president or as an individual.
If the donations were accepted by Abdurrahman in his capacity as President then the funds should be included in the state budget.
But if it is under a personal capacity, then Abdurrahman would likely have to pay taxes on it.
ICW said if Abdurrahman maintains that he accepted the donation not as President then he should "include it in his income tax report because a grant according to tax laws is an added economic adequacy and taxable".
The question over the financial donation from the Brunei Sultan also raised eyebrows because Abdurrahman stated that as a personal donation he thus kept it outside the state budget and left its management to a relatively unknown businessfriend named Masnun.
Speculation
Separately House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung said the House did not object to the foreign donation channeled personally through the President, nevertheless the President must be transparent and accountable for it.
"It doesn't matter if the President received the aid in his personal capacity but he should reveal it to the House, particularly the use of the donations to avoid unnecessary speculation," he said.
He said Abdurrahman must publicly explain the amount of funds and whether the donation has reached the Acehnese.
"We will question the President in our consultative meeting this month," said Akbar who is also Golkar Party chairman.
House Deputy Speaker Muhaimin Iskandar also remarked that the President has a moral obligation to explain it.
"There's no legal problem for the President to accept foreign aid for a humanitarian mission in Aceh but morally its acceptance and use should be accounted for," he said.
Muhaimin, also secretary general of the National Awakening Party (PKB), contended that the use of such donations for humanitarian missions should actually be supported given the country's limited economic resources.
He said the House is drafting a bill on the presidency to regulate matters such as foreign donations handed over through the President.
Meanwhile, Alvin Lie a member of the Reform Faction, criticized the President, saying that he breached his presidential oath by failing to publicly account for the donation.
"The President should step down for breaching his own oath," he said.
Ekky Syahrudin, a Golkar Party legislator, warned the President against corruption among his close friends and aides.
"According to my sources a bigger part of the Sultan's donation is in the hands of the President's close friends and certain state officials and they are also involved in Bulogate," he said referring to scandal at the National Logistics Agency.
Ekky said foreign donations channeled through the President should be enclosed in the state budget.
The National Democrat Party (PND) called on the President to clarify both the donation issue and the Bulog scandal.
"The Bulog scandal and alleged misuse of the Sultan's donation have damaged the credibility of the President's government," PND Chairman Edwin Henawan Soekowati said during the closing ceremony of the party's congress here on Monday. (jun/rms)