How rich are your favorite candidates?

Muninggar Sri Saraswati and Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta

All presidential and vice presidential candidates have made a report to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) declaring their wealth and assets, but in varying degrees of transparency.

Democratic Party vice presidential candidate Jusuf Kalla topped the list with a total of Rp 122.6 billion (US$13.3 million), with National Mandate Party (PAN) presidential candidate Amien Rais the "poorest" with Rp 867.9 million and $13,700.

But Transparency International Indonesia (TII) expressed its dissatisfaction with the declarations.

TII chairman Todung Mulya Lubis said he very much doubted that the presidential and vice presidential hopefuls had declared their current assets, so that "the KPK should ask them to update their declarations."

"Each candidate has to publicly declare his or her wealth as of the time when they register with the General Elections Commission (KPU)," Todung told a press conference after meeting with KPK leaders.

The KPK list revealed that businessman-turned-minister Kalla and his running mate submitted their wealth reports before they assumed their ministerial post and after relinquishing their post under President Megawati Soekarnoputri's administration.

Megawati, the presidential candidate under the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, submitted only her 2001 wealth report, as did Hamzah Haz and Agum Gumelar who were nominated by the United Development Party and Amien's running mate Siswono Yudohusodo, a businessman and former minister.

Megawati's running mate Hasyim Muzadi and Golkar Party candidates Wiranto and Salahuddin Wahid submitted their 2004 wealth reports.

Wiranto, a former Indonesian Military chief, ranked fourth behind Megawati, whose husband is a prominent businessman.

KPK deputy chairman Erry Riyana Hardjapamekas said the commission did not have the latest wealth report on Megawati, Hamzah and Amien because they had not completed their terms as president, vice president and speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), respectively.

"They have yet to finish their terms. We only obtain wealth reports of officials before they begin and after they complete their tenure as state officials," Erry said.

But he failed to explain why Agum, who resigned as transportation minister to contest the election, did not submit a current report on his wealth.

Erry said that all the candidates had submitted the required documents on their wealth, including their tax file numbers (NPWP) and copies of their annual tax returns (SPT).

But he said the commission could not guarantee the validity of the reports and therefore asked people to scrutinize them.

"We rely on the candidates' honesty in filing in the reports, we have not examined them," said Erry.

He said that the commission did not require all candidates to submit a current wealth report based on the presidential election law.

Article 5 (6) of Law No. 23/2003 on the presidential election only says that each presidential and vice presidential candidate has to submit a report of their wealth and assets to the institution authorized to examine civil servants' wealth reports.

"We do not examine the validity of the wealth reports, particularly those who have never reported their wealth to the KPKPN. But we have checked the reports of the candidates who have previously declared their wealth." he said.

The now-defunct Civil Servants Wealth Audit Commission (KPKPN) required all state officials in the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government to declare their wealth in 2001.

Erry said the KPK would only examine the wealth reports of the president and vice president when they are elected and after they complete their tenure.