JP/8/Head28

1. 8KPUD -- 4 col, 2 lines 2 x 20 Council unearths more irregularities in KPUD

The City Council revealed on Wednesday that it had discovered ample evidence, which corroborate alleged irregularities in the use of fund by the Jakarta Election Commission (KPUD) during the 2004 election.

"We have discovered significant evidence of alleged irregularities in the use of city budget, including the commission's failure to submit tax payment receipts on the use of state and city funds," said chairman of the Council's commission A on legal and administrative affairs, Ahmad Suaidy.

Citing prevailing regulations, Suaidy said that any spending of state or city funds is subject to 15 percent tax.

Referring to the regulations, Suaidy added, KPUD had to show the tax payment receipts worth at least Rp 25 billion, or 15 percent of the total Rp 168 billion received by the KPUD during the 2004 elections.

Since last Wednesday, the council has asked the KPUD to submit necessary documents, including the tax payment receipts. But, as of Wednesday, the KPUD only submitted other financial reports except the tax receipts.

Another councillor, Rois Hadayana Syaugie, also discovered alleged mark-up in the procurement of 250,000 jackets for officers involved in the 2004 election process.

"We have checked the price of sewing a jacket with the same quality and material to a big tailor in Senen, Central Jakarta and we found that the price is much cheaper than the jackets bought by the KPUD," Rois said.

Rois added that the tailor offered him Rp 25,000 per jacket for 1,000 pieces he ordered, or half of Rp 50,000 per jacket reported by the KPUD in the procurement of around 250,000 jackets.

Councillors also carried out an impromptu visit on Tuesday and discovered another irregularity in the fee of branch office in the Thousand Islands Regency, rented by the KPUD

KPUD's financial report shows that it has spent Rp 170 million to rent three houses for the KPUD branch office there, but in reality, the councillors found that the rental fee for the office for two years only hovered at Rp 18 million.

Rois said the commission would urge relevant law enforcers, including the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to pursue the alleged irregularities.

"We also discovered that several agencies with the administration have been implicated in the irregularities since they were supposed to have provided a clear guideline for the KPUD to carry out the procurement processes, but they didn't," said the councillor of the Prosperous Justice Party.

He added that the commission would also recommend the dismissal of KPUD members over such glaring irregularities.

"With such flawed credibility, we could no longer rely on the same KPUD to carry out their jobs," he asserted.

Unfortunately, KPUD chairman Mohamad Taufik could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.

The commission has scheduled another hearing with the KPUD on Friday.

The commission has started to trace the use of state and city budgets by the KPUD on the wake of the finding of alleged high profile corruption case at the General Elections Commission involving KPU member Mulyana W. Kusumah.

2. 8Pakis -- 3 col, 2 lines 2 x 27 Foreign 'professor' arrested for trying to cheat rector A Pakistani claiming to be a professor was arrested by Bogor police when he tried to hypnotize Bogor-based Ibnu Khaldum University (UIK) rector Didin Saefudin on Wednesday.

Sawaran Singh, 63, who claimed to be a lecturer at the Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta, arrived at the UIK Campus on Jl. Soleh Iskandar, Bogor at around 10 a.m.

After introducing himself, Singh began demonstrating his skill by asking his host Didin to write two names of flowers on a sheet of paper. Singh clutched and pressed another sheet of paper in his arm.

According to Didin, the names of flowers he wrote were exactly same with the names of flower on paper clutched by Singh -- rose and sunflower.

"I was amazed with his capability," Didin told the press at the Bogor police precinct, after testifying to police on his experience with the 'professor.'

Didin said that he was carried away by Singh's prediction that Didin would become a rich and successful gentleman. Didin said he was not aware that he always followed what was suggested by his guest.

Singh told Didin that he would come again to the campus after 21 days from Wednesday.

Later, Didin was aware that Singh tried to hypnotize him after Singh asked for US$200 from him by writing it on a sheet of paper. Didin gave Singh Rp 50,000 (US$5.56), but the Pakistani 'professor' refused it.

Then Singh wrote out Rp 1 million on the paper.

UIK deputy rector Abdurrahman Abdullah, who spied on Singh from outside the door of his boss' room, was suspicious about the behavior of the Pakistani guest.

Knowing that Singh asked for money from Didin, Abdurrahman entered the room and asked Singh to show his passport. Initially, Singh refused to show it, but latter he gave his passport to Abdurrahman.

As Singh insisted on asking for money from didin, Abdurrahmand decided to report his guest to police.

Singh, who holds a Pakistani passport No. 2-1366399 with visa from Singapore was, was then arrested by Bogor police for further investigation.

3. Police -- 3 col, 1 line 1 x 27

Police transfer two directors, four precinct chiefs

Jakarta police announced on Wednesday major resuffle involving two directors from two elite divisions, and four police precinct chiefs, including the chiefs of prestigious West Jakarta and North Jakarta police precincts.

The general crime chief Sr. Comr. Matius Salempang and special crime chief Sr. Comr. Edmon Ilyas were sent to join a training at National Resilience Institute (Lemhamnas), and their posts were given to West Jakarta police chief Sr. Comr. Suhardi Alius and North Jakarta police chief Sr. Comr. Syahrul Mama respectively.

The posts left by Suhardi and Syahrul were filled by Tangerang police chief Sr. Comr. I Ketut Untung Yoga and West Java general crime deputy chief Sr. Comr. Dede Sunarya respectively.

Depok police chief Sr. Comr. Raja Erisman was appointed Tangerang police chief, and woman police Adj. Comr. Ratnawati Hadiwidjaja of the East Jakarta police precinct took up the post left by Raja.

Several women police had achieved ranks as high or higher than Ratnawati's but she became the first woman ever to be appointed police precinct chief in Jakarta police.

City police spokesman Sr. Comr. Tjiptono said the resuffle aimed at enhancing effectiveness of Jakarta police as well as providing career paths to several promising officers to fill the vacancies left by more senior officers who pursue advanced training.

"This is part of our efforts to make our service to public better. Nothing is extraordinary as we have planned it before," said Tjiptono.

However, the resuffle seemed surprising as no earlier indication from Jakarta police chief Insp. Firman Gani that he intended to replace his senior officers, especially the two most prestigious posts -- general crime and special crime chiefs.

Even more surprising was the appointment of Suhardi Alius, who has been accused of turning a blind eye to gambling activities in West Jakarta, as the general crime chief.

He was roundly criticized by public and several members of the House Representatives when an alleged shooting incident occurred between his officers, police officers from city police and officers from national police headquarters in a gambling house raid in Taman Palem in West Jakarta.

4. Library -- 2 col, 2 lines 2 x 16

Libraries fail to attract students

Librarians working at highschools in Greater Jakarta agreed on Tuesday that school libraries in the city failed to attract more students to use their collections, because their services failed to turn their facilities into "fun" and "relaxing" places.

Aisyah Abdur Rahman, a librarian at the SMUN 66 high school in South Jakarta, said that out of the 700 students studying in the school, only 20 of them used the facility regularly, while others were reluctant to even visit the place as its services were inadequate.

"We haven't had a catalog for our collection and there is no multimedia equipment provided yet," Aisyah said, adding that the library only had 40 seats and still focussed on the upgrading of its physical condition.

Another librarian, Umar, who is in charge of the SMU 5 highschool library in Depok, West Java, said that his school's library should have internet connection to attract more students to come and spend valuable time there.

"Spending time in the library should also be fun and relaxing. VCD collection is as important as the book collection, but we're short of money," he said.

Fuad Gani, the head of the Library Science Department at the University of Indonesia, supported Umar's statement saying that according to his research students' low interests in using school libraries was highly related to the bad management of the facilities.

"The conditions of many school libraries in the city are distressing. My research showed that many principals considered good library management as not of a priority and having no impact on students' intellectual capacity," he told The Jakarta Post.

Out of 500 Jakarta elementary school students that he interviewed last year, the majority felt that they did not need to use libraries because buying books was easier to do than browsing in libraries.

To help school librarians to turn libraries into comfortable places to seek knowledge, his department, along with Program Bimbingan Anak Sampoerna (cigarette manufacturer PT HM Sampoerna's children development program) held a three-day library management training in the university's campus, inviting 20 schools from Jakarta, Depok and Bogor.

The program launched a campaign called Pustaka Kita (Our Libraries) to train school librarians in motivating students to come to libraries by formulating catalog, adding multimedia facilities and alternative readings, such as comic books.

Fuad said the utilization of libraries was an indicator of intellectual capacity and wisdom of the next generation students.

" Therefore, we hope to encourage these librarians to improve their libraries' conditions and to attract more students to explore the place." (006)

5. Speakup -- 3 col, 1 line 1 x 27

'Why didn't FPI accuse parties?' Popular rock group Dewa has been reported to city police by a number of Muslim organizations led by the Islamic Defender Front (FPI) for using the Arabic script of Allah on the cover of its Laskar Cinta (Soldier of Love) album. FPI accused Dewa of blasphemy and demanded for an apology. The Jakarta Post interviewed residents here to get their comments on the issue.

Mala, 24, is a student of the University of Indonesia in Depok, West Java. She lives with her parents in Ciputat, South Jakarta.

I think FPI has gone too far in accusing Dewa of insulting and exploiting Islamic symbols. I also wonder why the group din't say anything when political parties exploited Islamic symbols for own benefits in the elections? Why FPF treats Dewa differently?

I am a Muslim, but not a fan of Dewa. I see reasons behind why Dewa chose that kind of cover. I think Dewa wants to introduce Islamic symbols to a wider public. Not many people know about such Islamic art writing.

For instance, previously I didn't know anything about such symbols. With the dispute, I am interested in learning about Islamic writing. So, Dewa actually introduces Islamic symbol to the public. Why can't FPI see it this way?

Tri Budiarti, 29, is a secretary at a foreign company in Central Jakarta. She lives with her parents in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta.

I am afraid the conflict is deliberately created by both Dewa and FPI to boost Dewa's popularity, which has dropped lately, or to increase the sales of Dewa's latest record album. Also, FPI can have a good name by showing to Muslims that they are the true defenders of Islam once again.

What I see is that many people have started looking for the album since the dispute emerged several days ago just to know the songs and the cover. Even people who are not fans of Dewa are now talking about the album.

If this is the case, I urge both of them to stop acting to fool people. I suggest Dewa to create a better album so that they shouldn't have to exploit similar case to boost the sales of their album.