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