Graft makes the poor suffer

Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The socially disadvantaged of this city will bear the brunt of corruption occurring in this year's budget as most of the money alleged to have been misappropriated was earmarked for the destitute, a state agency has said.

According to data from the City Audit Agency, which was obtained by the media over the weekend, some Rp 860 million of the estimated Rp 4.8 billion (US$533,333) pinched from the budget was allegedly embezzled by two doctors at city-owned Budhi Asih Hospital in the Setiabudi area of South Jakarta.

The agency's report, signed by deputy chairman Syarifuddin Mahfudz, stated that the Rp 860 million was allocated for underprivileged patients in the area and the victims of February's floods.

The agency has urged that the money be returned and recommended that the doctors, identified by the agency as Erni and Rosenita, be sanctioned.

The agency report said that Cawang subdistrict head Abdul Rahman was caught selling donated rice, worth Rp 149 million, to flood victims in the subdistrict of East Jakarta.

The agency demanded that Rahman return the money and further recommended that Governor Sutiyoso dismiss him.

In addition to Rahman, an official of Cempaka Putih subdistrict, Central Jakarta, identified as Adnan Darsono, was caught bringing food earmarked for flood victims in the subdistrict, to Bekasi, the agency said.

After an investigation headed by the agency, Darsono returned the rice, however, it is unclear how much was returned, and the agency has recommended that Darsono be sanctioned.

The administration allocated this year Rp 251 billion for flood victims, which included food donations and a flood rehabilitation program.

About Rp 4.5 billion, collected during a charity night for flood victims, was reportedly embezzled by the ICE on Indonesia, a non-governmental organization (NGO), which had been designated by Sutiyoso to distribute the fund, the agency reported.

Another Rp 484 million allocated for the City Park Agency found its way into the pockets of 19 officials at the city's five mayoralties, the agency reported.

Some Rp 86 million has been repaid while the remaining Rp 398 million, earmarked for the development of public parks, has not been returned yet, the agency said.

Besides losing out on more public parks, residents may face garbage problems this year as some Rp 149 million destined for the purchase of 10 incinerators has also disappeared.

The chairwoman of City Council Commission C for city revenue, Anna Rudhiantina, urged Sutiyoso to hand out stiff punishment to those responsible for taking public funds.

"Not only should the funds be returned, but the officials should be dismissed or taken to court," Anna of the Golkar Party said during the council's year-end conference.

Many councillors also believe that total funds taken from the current Rp 10.6 trillion city budget amount to more than Rp 4.8 billion.

It is not clear whether Sutiyoso has punished the officials responsible for allegedly embezzling funds. Last year, several civil servants were dismissed for similar reasons, but most were low-ranking officials. High-ranking officials remain untouched, and none were sent to court.