KPKPN can check officials' accounts

KPKPN can check officials' accounts

JAKARTA (JP): The Public Servants' Wealth Audit Commission
(KPKPN) asserted on Thursday that it had the authority to audit
the private bank accounts of state officials in order to
ascertain whether the officials concerned had honestly declared
their wealth.

"The right (to inspect an official's private bank account) is
stipulated in the statement on the last page of the form," the
commission's deputy chairman Hartoyo said after handing over the
forms to 16 top officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs and
Regional Autonomy.

The forms were given to, among others, the Ministry's
Secretary General Siti Nurbaya Bakar, Director General of
Regional Autonomy Sudarsono Hardjosoekarto, Director General of
National Integration Muhanto A.Q., and Director General of Public
Administration Oentarto Sindung Mawardi.

Meanwhile, Minister of Home Affairs and Regional Autonomy
Surjadi Soedirdja will receive the forms upon his return from
accompanying President Abdurrahman Wahid to the riot-torn town of
Sampit, Central Kalimantan.

The commission is also slated to audit the wealth of seven top
officials of the National Land Agency (BPN) and 10 executive
directors of city-owned companies (BUMD).

After its members had been sworn in by President Abdurrahman
Wahid on Jan. 11, the commission submitted the forms to the
President, Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri and Speaker of
the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Amien Rais.

Hartoyo said the officials had between 15 days and one month
to complete the forms. The audit reports will be listed in the
appendix to the state gazette so that they can be read by the
public.

"Their (the officials') wealth will be audited just before
they take up their posts, during their terms of office, and after
they quit their posts," he said.

Meanwhile, Siti Nurbaya said the audit of officials' wealth
was required in order produce clean government.

"The audit will be conducted on a phased basis. Currently, we
are submitting the forms for executive-level officials, and after
that it will be the turn of lower-level officials," she said.
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