House fails to detail scam at complex
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
After 10 months of investigation into alleged irregularities in the management of Bung Karno sports complex, a House committee on Friday announced the results of the inquiry without figures detailing the amount of losses to the state.
The committee completed its investigation report by simply issuing some recommendations.
"We are still calculating the amount of state losses resulting from the management irregularities. It is amounting to billions of rupiah," said committee chairman Effendy Choirie of the National Awakening Party (PKB).
The management falls under the supervision of the state secretariat.
Committee members Happy Bone Zulkarnaen and Pedy Tandawuya of Golkar and Karmani of the United Development Party (PPP) also attended the presentation of the investigation results.
Happy said the committee would not disclose the amount of state losses for fear that it would shock the public due to the enormity of the amount.
Choirie added the problems related to the Bung Karno sports complex were very complicated.
Several figures, including businesspeople Pontjo Sutowo and Siti Hediati "Titik" Prabowo and State Secretary Bambang Kesowo have been summoned to the House for questioning regarding their alleged involvement in the irregularities.
The Bung Karno sport complex was built in 1958, on 279 hectares of state land. The area was designed as a green belt for South Jakarta.
However, the progress of the nation's economic development has made the sports complex evolve into a multipurpose area. Government buildings, shopping malls, amusement centers and hotels were built around the complex.
The committee called for a legal audit, financial audit and management audit to commence no later than three months after the recommendation was announced to the public.
"The legal audit can be carried out by an independent auditor, while the financial audit should be conducted by the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK)," Choirie said.
The committee also suggested that the management board of Bung Karno sports complex report its financial balance sheet to the finance ministry.
Choirie said all buildings in the sports complex, including senior high school SMUN 24, a health clinic, the ministry of national education, the ministry of forestry and the now defunct ministry of youth affairs and sports, should be returned to the management board of Bung Karno sports complex.
He said the land where these offices were built was not allocated for such usage.
After finishing its inquiry into the Bung Karno sports complex, the legislators will investigate alleged irregularities in the management of the Kemayoran fairground, which is also a state asset that falls under the state secretariat.