IDT fund embezzled

IDT fund embezzled

Although the government has worked hard to eradicate poverty
through the Presidential Instruction for the least developed
villages (IDT) scheme (Rp 20 million for each village), the
implementation of this program is not very smooth, and the
problem has become increasingly serious. Some of the money was
manipulated and embezzled. They seemed to believe that the fund
could be spent with impunity.

This happened in Ujungjaya village, Pandeglang regency, West
Java. The second batch of the government fund was given to the
village in September 1995. However, the village authority
distributed only 320 ducks among 10 poor farmers who belong to
one group. The price of one duck was Rp 4,000 which meant that
only Rp1,280,000 of the fund reached these villagers. No one knew
for sure what had happened to the remaining Rp 18,720,000.

Upon inquiry, the Ujungjaya village chief explained that Rp
7,500,000 was in the hands of the head of the Group II, and Rp 4
million was used for medical treatment by the village head
himself, supposedly on instruction by his superior. It was not
clear who was meant by his superior. Again nobody knew where the
remaining Rp 7,220,000 had gone.

A villager and a member of one group, I appeal to the
authority to investigate this matter immediately so that the poor
villagers get what is theirs.

MUHAMMAD

Pandeglang, West Java