Kuntoro may have to deal with power-oriented projects
Kuntoro may have to deal with power-oriented projects
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Controlling billions of dollars of funds and equipped with the
authority to grant lucrative tenders, Aceh and Nias
reconstruction and rehabilitation agency head Kuntoro
Mangkusubroto may have to deal with power-oriented projects, a
corruption watch warns.
Ridayat La Ode Ngkowe, the Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW)
project manager monitoring Aceh and Nias development, said
Kuntoro's clean track record would be put to test as companies
linked to the political elite would fight for win his approval
when the bids for wide-ranging reconstruction projects in the
tsunami-devastated areas opens in June.
"We not sure whether Kuntoro can resist these powerful figures
who are interested in various infrastructure development projects
in Aceh and Nias," Ridayat said.
Ridayat said the appointment of the former energy and mineral
resources minister helped ease fears of possible abuse of the
massive reconstruction funds in a country whose bureaucrats are
notorious for corrupt practices.
The agency will manage some Rp 46.1 trillion (US$4.8 billion)
in reconstruction funds over the next four years, award tenders
to the private sector for reconstruction works, and deal with
foreign donor countries and agencies.
Kuntoro was appointed after the government completed a
blueprint for the reconstruction of Aceh and Nias.
"One of Kuntoro's challenges in implementing the blueprint
will be how to deal with Acehnese survivors who wish to return to
their original settlements in coastal areas, whereas the
blueprint bans rebuilding of homes along much of the coast to
minimize the risk of future tsunamis," said Ridayat.
He suggested that Kuntoro review the blueprint because it had
been made based on "imaginative data" in the field.
"Taking one of many examples, there will be more buildings and
schools in Aceh than before the disaster struck the province," he
said.
"We deem the blueprint as 'corruption by design', therefore
Kuntoro and his team must thoroughly review it."
Meanwhile, Acehnese figure and former House of Representatives
legislator Gazhali Abbas expressed skepticism that the agency
could heed Acehnese aspirations, saying that most of the figures
appointed to the body "lack knowledge about Acehnese people."
"I guess most Acehnese people only recognize him as a little-
known state official from Jakarta," he said.
Gazhali accused the government of maintaining a militaristic
style in dealing with humanitarian and social problems in Aceh
following the disaster by appointing chief security minister and
former Indonesian Military commander Widodo A.S. to chair the
agency's advisory team.
"The rehabilitation and reconstruction process in Aceh is a
part of humanitarian and social work; it has nothing to do with
security. The appointment of Widodo has raised speculation that
only a few Acehnese aspirations may be heard," Gazhali said.
Aceh was declared a military operation zone between 1989 and
1998, and was put under martial law between 2003 and 2004 as the
government attempted to quell the separatist movement that began
in 1976.
The United States welcomed Kuntoro's appointment and would
support his efforts to ensure transparency and accountability of
the funds made available for the reconstruction program.
"Dr. Kuntoro is a skilled and decisive leader and we look
forward to working with him to address the needs of affected
communities," U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia B. Lynn Pascoe said in
a statement.