Government to form body to assess officials' wealth

JAKARTA (JP): The government will set up a commission to examine the wealth of state officials in a bid to eradicate corruption.

A member of the government team assigned to promote the commission, Soenarko, said in Semarang on Saturday that recruitment of members of the new body was underway and they are expected to start working on Nov. 20.

Called the Commission for Investigation of State Administrators' Wealth, Soenarko said the commission would comprise 100 people from various professions, including government officials.

"The new body will be responsible for investigating the personal fortune of both high-ranking civilian and military officials," Soenarko said.

The establishment of the commission is mandated by the antigraft law, which was enacted in July.

State officials and military personnel holding the rank of major general or above will be obliged to report and declare their personal wealth to the body before, during and after they take office.

According to Soenarko, officials are subject to a new law on corruption, which carries jail terms of between two years and 12 years.

He said his team had registered 100 candidates to sit in the state-funded body. The nominees will be announced soon to allow the public "to respond to the competence of the candidates".

"The nominees, aged from 40 to 75, will be selected based on their dedication, attitude, moral standards and their track records," Soenarko said.

A commission member will serve a five-year term, but can be reelected for another term.

Soenarko said each commission member deserved better remuneration than a House of Representatives legislator in order to enable them to concentrate on his or her job, without having "to think of their kitchen".

A House member serving in the 1999-2004 period has a monthly salary of Rp 5 million, excluding facilities, such as housing, and a vast range of allowances.

Soenarko said commission members would be assigned to examine, monitor, clarify the state official's fortune, and verify reports of irregularities submitted by the public.

In a bid to set up a clean government, President Abdurrahman Wahid said he would ask his ministers to declare their wealth before taking up their posts.

The previous government under B.J. Habibie had also planned the formation of an anticorruption commission, which was expected to group law enforcement officials and professionals.

Another member of the government team, Ramli Adnansasmita, said the commission would not have to provide protection for people who report their accounts on corruption, collusion and nepotism committed by certain state officials.

"Therefore, it's important for us to adopt a law to protect witnesses. That way, people will dare testify to clear up as many corruption cases as possible in the country," Ramli said. (emf)