KPU Jakarta chairman named suspect

Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Jakarta Prosecutor's Office on Wednesday named chairman of the Jakarta Elections Commission (KPU Jakarta), Muhammad Taufik, as a suspect for the alleged misuse of Rp 42 billion (US$4.43 million) in election funds.

Chief prosecutor Rusdi Taher revealed that his office had collected sufficient evidence to declare suspects in the case after starting investigations last week.

"We have examined reports and evidence submitted by the City Council and several non-governmental organizations. We suspect there are 10 cases in all (that occurred) during last year's legislative and presidential elections," he said.

Rusdi refused to give details on all of the cases, arguing that his subordinates were still looking into them.

However, he added, among the irregularities were the poll commission's failure to pay Rp 4.2 billion in taxes, an alleged markup of Rp 170 million in procuring three houses for offices, and another markup of Rp 10 billion for the purchase of waistcoats.

"As the chairman, Taufik should be the person held responsible in this matter as all spending in the elections commission required his approval," he explained.

Earlier, the council's Commission A overseeing legal and administrative affairs revealed that it had found that 25 percent of the total KPU Jakarta's budget of Rp 168.6 billion had been misused.

It discovered questionable tenders and an alleged markup in the purchase of 180,000 waistcoats. The waistcoats were purchased for Rp 66,000 each, far higher than the market price of Rp 25,000, the commission said.

KPU Jakarta has also been accused of marking up the rent on three houses it uses for offices in Kepulauan Seribu (Thousand Islands) regency.

According to a report from the poll commission, rent for the three houses totaled Rp 170 million a year. However, there was a report that the commission only paid Rp 25 million a year to the owners of the houses.

Rusdi said that he had ordered his subordinates to summons Taufik and other members for questioning next week, while several other witnesses would be questioned this week.

"We will decide whether it is necessary to detain Taufik after questioning him next week. We will also question other members to complete the case file," he said.

Rusdi said that he had contacted the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman Taufiqurrahman Ruki so that there was no overlapping in the investigation between the two institutions.

"The KPK chairman supports us. He said that will be good for the KPK as all their members are busy with the graft case in the National Election Commission (KPU)," he said.

KPU chairman Nazaruddin Syamsuddin and member Mulyana W. Kusumah have been named suspects in that case. Both were immediately detained after they had been declared suspects.

Rusdi said that he had informed Governor Sutiyoso of the investigation.

Sutiyoso said on Monday that he supported the investigation by prosecutors, but added that the City Audit Agency (Bawasda) would also investigate the elections commission.

"We must proceed with our own investigation as Bawasda is an internal auditor. We can't base the whole investigation merely on its audit," Rusdi said.