Ignorance feigned over relief funds
Ignorance feigned over relief funds
Tony Hotland, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The few, brave people making an effort to unravel corruption in
the disbursement of relief funds face a daunting challenge as
local officials questioned in connection with the rampant
practice suddenly seem to be suffering "amnesia", a House of
Representatives investigator says.
"It makes sense if many brokers were on the move, but when we
asked (the local officials) about these brokers, they said they
no longer remembered them. It's as if the officials were
suffering from amnesia," said the House disciplinary committee
chairman Slamet Effendi Yusuf on Monday.
The committee members have just returned from a series of
meetings with governors, regents and officials at the regional
development planning agency for verification of reports that
local officials and certain House members demanded fees for their
role in the disbursement of 2005 post-disaster relief funds.
More regions will be visited soon, said Slamet.
The committee has questioned seven lawmakers and a House
commission V staffer in relation to the cases, which have further
tainted the image of a number of institutions.
"The local officials were quite cooperative, but we wish they
would have helped us more," said Slamet of the Golkar Party.
Disciplinary committee deputy Tiurlan Hutagaol shared a
similar experience when gathering accounts from local officials.
He said the officials claimed to have no knowledge about alleged
brokers whose pictures were shown to them.
"They said they didn't remember the faces. But we found out
that the 180 regencies that involved brokers to disburse relief
funds actually have offices in Jakarta and allocate budgets for
lobbying to obtain the central government funds," she said.
Tiurlan said the local officials admitted to being offered by
people who claimed to have connections with House members.
"They're the brokers. They're apparently not House members,
but claim to have a link to lawmakers. They asked for fees
ranging from 4 percent up to 20 percent," she said.
Several names of non-House members appeared on two documents
submitted to the disciplinary committee, which typically identify
them as "coordinator" for the disbursement of funds for disaster-
affected areas.
One of them is A. Mustakim, who turns out to be an assistant
to Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) legislator
Mudahir from House Commission V overseeing public works.
Slamet said the disciplinary committee would summon Mudahir to
seek the whereabouts of Mustakim, who has disappeared since the
scandal surfaced a few weeks ago.
Meanwhile, head of the Financial Transaction Report and
Analysis Center (PPATK) Yunus Husein said he was prepared to help
check on any suspicious transaction in the accounts of House
members.
Slamet himself has talked with the Corruption Eradication
Commission (KPK), which has the authority to bug the phones and
offices of state officials, in a bid to gain key information for
suspected cases.
"Most of the House members are very supportive and approve of
the KPK being involved. We hope those who're not will follow
suit," he said.