Fictitious projects

Fictitious projects should shame ministers

From Bisnis Indonesia

State Minister of National Development Planning and Chairman of the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas), Kwik Kian Gie, has said that the implementation of marked-up or fictitious projects in various ministries, should offend the dignity of the relevant ministers.

They should launch various strategies in order to prevent and eliminate the corrupt practice that inflicts considerable losses on the state.

Worse still, according to chairman of contractors association Inkindo Kristya Kartika, most government agencies have ignored Presidential Decree No. 18/2000 on guidelines for the procurement of goods and services. In this way, their projects are realized by directly appointing contractors without tenders, which has the potential of creating a high-cost economy.

This practice can in fact be ended by applying the principle of transparency. The chairman of the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA) can announce through the print media the assets to be auctioned. Projects should also be announced by mentioning the jobs offered, locations, requirements for eligible contractors, tender dates and if necessary owners' estimate prices to avoid excessive mark-ups.

Contractors will then be able to prepare themselves individually or collectively in consortia to join such tenders according to their capability.

WISDARMANTO GS

Jakarta