Leaving councilors refuse to return loaned items

TANGERANG (JP): Former Tangerang Council legislators are presenting a series of problems to the local administration, a municipality spokesman said on Friday.

At least 11 of them are refusing to return official cars lent to them as legislators during their two-year term. Furniture, including dining tables, chairs and cupboards, have been reported as missing from their official residences at the Bumi Berhias housing complex in Jatiuwung district.

"The items are the inventory of the administration office and nobody owns them," said Tangerang Municipality spokesman Said Endrawiyanto.

"If they (the former legislators) keep on refusing (to return the belongings), the Municipality Office will first warn them before taking stiff measures, such as seizing (items) or reporting the case to the police," he said.

Most of the 45 seats on the Tangerang Council have been taken over by newly elected members from the June 7 General Election.

Tangerang Council members are usually offered the use of a car and provided an official house at a complex on Jl. Kiansantang for the duration of their five-year terms.

The latest batch of ex-legislators were stripped of their office perks on Aug. 31 after only a two-year period, due to overwhelming demands for reforms, which also led to former president Soeharto relinquishing his grip on power last year.

When asked to comment on the matter, one of the former legislators, Gusti Ratam of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) said: "Why make such a big fuss out of it? We've only been inactive for a month, and there's no official letter saying that we must return the cars."

Gusti obtained a Toyota Kijang van as his official vehicle.

"There's not even enough parking space at the Council building. So in the meantime, I will use the car. That's it ... do not ask me anything more," Gusti said on Friday.

Asked about missing furniture in the legislators' offices, Gusti said he was unaware of the problem.

"I don't know who took that stuff. Well, the newly appointed legislators must be given new items, not old things."

Said said the Municipality Office was making an inventory of the "missing" items, and that the report would be promptly submitted to the mayor.

"So far, we haven't calculated the total losses," he said.

Said asked the legislators to return the items on their own initiatives.

"They should use their own conscious to return the cars, as the administration does not have an adequate budget to provide brand new items."

He suggested that it would be unethical to force legislators to return the goods.

"But we may take necessary action in dealing with the matter."

The municipality has 45 new legislators from nine parties, as well as Indonesian Military and National Police representatives. (41/edt)