KPU car purchase under scrutiny

KPU car purchase under scrutiny

JAKARTA: The newly launched Indonesia Procurement Watch (IPW)
said on Thursday that it had detected indications of
irregularities in the purchase of cars for members of the General
Elections Commission (KPU) and vowed to launch an investigation
into the process.

The watchdog claimed that the car procurement was not in line
with either the guidelines or Presidential Decree No. 80/2003 on
procurement.

"We will investigate the decision of the KPU and the
procedures employed in procuring these cars," said Batara
Lumbanraja, a member of the IPW's boards of patrons.

He said that the state budget funds were used for the
procurement of the materials and services to be used in preparing
for the general elections, and consequently public scrutiny was
important.

IPW investigations director Hayie Muhammad, however, refused
to divulge what the precise indications of irregularities were in
the car procurement, arguing that it this could affect the
preparations for the general elections.

He said that IPW would not disclose their findings to the
public, but would report them to the KPU instead. -- JP