KPKPN to summon leaders of City Council, Sutiyoso

KPKPN to summon leaders of City Council, Sutiyoso

Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Public Servants' Wealth Audit Commission (KPKPN) will summon
leaders of the City Council next week in connection with reports
of money politics in the selection of gubernatorial candidates.

KPKPN deputy chairman Abdullah Hehamahua said that those who
would be summoned included the chairman and deputies of the
council, faction chairmen, commission chairmen, and other noted
figures.

"We will summon leaders in the City Council like faction
leaders, commission leaders and other noted public figures in the
council," Abdullah, who deals with legislative affairs, told the
media on Wednesday.

Some legislators admitted that money politics had been
practiced early on in the gubernatorial election. A legislator,
speaking on the condition of anonymity, said before the process
in the City Council began, a gubernatorial candidate had invited
a number of councillors to listen to their vision and mission.

"One of the candidates, for example, gave Rp 5 million to
councillors attending an external hearing he organized to explain
his programs," said the councillor.

Chairman of the Jakarta Residents Forum (Fakta) Asas Tigor
Nainggolan said that to pass the third round of the selection, a
candidate should pay Rp 250 million per faction. A number of
Councillors also received a short message service (SMS) offering
Rp 600 million in return for supporting certain candidates in the
final round of the gubernatorial election.

Meanwhile, Muhayat, another KPKPN official who deals with
executive affairs, said that Governor Sutiyoso would be summoned
on Thursday in connection with various reports from the people
about his wealth.

According to Muhayat, Sutiyoso will also be questioned about
reports of a Rp 1.6 billion fund he distributed as a symbol of
reconciliation with 124 victims of the July 27, 1996 incident.
The money was reportedly channeled through the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction. Sutiyoso
denies that such a fund was dispersed.

The July 27 incident refers to the attack by the military and
civilian supporters of PDI chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri's
rival Soerjadi on the PDI headquarters on Jl. Diponegoro, Central
Jakarta on July 27, 1996.

"We cannot explain the details now, but we will ask
confirmation from him about his wealth reported by members of the
public that is not included on his report to the KPKPN," Muhayat
told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

Muhayat said that Sutiyoso has confirmed he will answer the
KPKPN's summons at 1 p.m.

Chairman of PDI Perjuangan faction Agung Imam Soemanto said
that the money came from a businessman sympathetic to the
victims.

Abdullah said his office had also received reports from the
public about money politics in the City Council in connection
with the gubernatorial and vice gubernatorial elections.

According to Abdullah, his office would be able to track such
illegal practices as data of wealth of civil servants and other
state apparatus submitted to his office would be updated every
year.

"They should report any change in their wealth whether it has
reduced or is in excess of what had been reported to KPKPN.
Therefore, if they received such illegal money it would become
known as they would be under public scrutiny," he added.