Lalu denies underreporting his wealth

JAKARTA: South Jakarta District Court President Lalu Mariyun claims he has reported all his assets to the Public Servants' Wealth Audit Commission (KPKPN), denying all the tip-offs received by the commission from the public regarding his alleged corruption.

"I'm not that kind of person," he told a media conference held after giving a four-hour clarification at the KPKPN offices on Thursday.

The clarification was required due to the commission's doubts over the small amount of assets declared by Mariyun and tip-offs it had received from the public. In his asset declaration, published in April 2002, Mariyun claimed to have a total of only Rp 250 million (US$28,089) in cash and assets.

According to his report, he owes Rp 195 million on a Toyota Kijang minivan that he bought on credit in 2001. The minivan, as well as his other assets, are located in his hometown in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara.

Mariyun reported that he currently lived in a rented house on the edge of the plush residential area of Pondok Indah, South Jakarta, with the rent amounting to Rp 25 million per year.

However, the commission deemed such a low rent to be highly suspect, especially as there was no formal contract in existence.

"So far, as shown in his asset declaration, Mariyun's income and expenditure would appear to in balance. However, we would invite members of the public to inform us should they know anything about unreported properties or income," KPKPN member Petrus Selestinus told reporters.-- JP