Money talks in city corridors of power

Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Almost all political activities in the city, such as the approval of the city budget and the governor's accountability speech, as well as the recent gubernatorial election this year, were tainted by allegations of money politics.

It is suspected that money played an important role in the approval of the budget in January and the acceptance of Governor Sutiyoso's accountability speech in July. It is also believed that money "talked" in Sutiyoso's victory during the electoral race in September.

Money politics was just "believed" or "suspected", as it was legally difficult to prove. There was a lack of admissible evidence, such as letters, documents or bills, which could have been used in court.

Those allegedly involved in money politics, including city administration officials and councillors, denied it all. Although there were some bribery confessions, the statements were subsequently revoked.

Most information about money politics was from people not involved in the crimes concerned, including non-governmental organizations known for their sharp criticism.

"They 'sang' because they didn't get the money. They would have accepted the money if it had been offered to them," some critics said, referring to those who made bribery allegations.

The first instance of money politics was believed to have occurred between January and February this year when the city administration sought the Council's approval for the Rp 9.7 trillion 2002 city budget.

It was reported that Sutiyoso would provide Rp 3 billion for the city's 85 councillors, should they approve the budget, which included planned projects and allocation of the Rp 9.7 trillion.

Sutiyoso and the councillors denied the report, first revealed by activist Azas Tigor Nainggolan, chairman of the Jakarta Residents Forum (Fakta).

Angered by the accusation, the governor reported Tigor, who often leads poor people in protests against the administration, to the police for defamation in March.

The police did not respond immediately to Sutiyoso's complaint. Tigor was arrested in October but was released a day after being questioned.

The administration later claimed that the allocation of the Rp 3 billion for councillors was legal, as the money was the accumulated honorarium for councillors' discussion of the budget and several bylaws.

The administration also provided luxury rooms at city-owned Wisma Jaya Raya in the mountain resort of Puncak, Bogor, West Java, for the councillors to discuss the 2002 budget.

The whiff of money politics was also apparent in July this year when Sutiyoso read his accountability speech on the 2001 budget and his final year's work performance.

A majority of council faction leaders, including those from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the United Development Party (PPP) pledged to reject the governor's accountability report.

But their pledge was only a bluff, as a majority of the factions ultimately accepted the report, although they acknowledged Sutiyoso's bad performance. Only PAN and the minor Justice Party rejected the report outright.

Later, in October, councillor Rahman AR of PPP confessed before PDI Perjuangan councillor Dadang Hamdani that he had received Rp 250 million from the administration for accepting the accountability.

Rahman then denied it, saying that his statement was just a joke, although Dadang said it had been made in all seriousness.

Dadang quoted Rachman as saying that he (Rachman) could receive another Rp 250 million if he reelected Sutiyoso as governor, but as his faction had nominated another candidate, he merely received Rp 250 million for accepting the governor's accountability report.

It is also believed that city councillors received not only cash for supporting Sutiyoso. They were also able to take free foreign trips to Spain, Bangkok, Beijing and Morocco.

The councillors clandestinely went on the trips, which were financed by the budgets of city agencies and offices, instead of their own council budget.

But, of course, the governor rejected all accusations of money politics. As for the foreign trips, Sutiyoso claimed that his officials were often forced by councillors to finance them.

Last year, the councillors also made trips overseas but the outcome of the trips was useless, even though the participants claimed to have carried out comparative studies instead of just going on a junket.

However, not only Sutiyoso bestowed money and facilities on councillors. Other gubernatorial candidates reportedly also showered money on councillors in order to elect them.

Candidate Mahfud Djailani admitted to giving a down payment of Rp 200 million to 40 councillors to elect him in the election in September. He asked the councillors to return the money when he found he had secured only 11 votes in the election.

Mahfud threatened to reveal the names of the councillors if they did not return the money. But he then revoked his statement, saying the Rp 200 million had been spent on dinner invitations at a hotel.

It was unclear whether the councillors have returned the money.

Many councillors admitted to having been invited by Mahfud, but denied receiving any money during the dinner. But councillor Supangat said that after the dinner, he and other councillors received transportation payments, which, according to sources, amounted to Rp 5 million each.

Another gubernatorial candidate, Endang Darmawan, reportedly gave 10 cheques worth a total of Rp 450 million to 10 councillors from PAN. Endang secured only two votes and the cheques were reportedly blank.

Money also "talks" during hearings of the Council.

Councillor Ugiek Soegihardjo of PDI Perjuangan admitted earlier in February that he was offered a "bribe" of only Rp 20 million from city-owned firm PT Jakarta Fairground.

Ugiek believed that his 11 fellow councillors, who became members of a team investigating alleged corruption in the firm, also received similar amounts of money.

PDI Perjuangan faction chairman Agung Imam Sumanto, who distributed the money, claimed that the funds were from party supporters.

As of today, the team's recommendation, which confirmed the allegation of corruption in the firm, until now, has never been followed up by legal measures.

Critics believe that the abuse was carried out through collusion between city administration officials, councillors and private parties.

It seems that officials are currently "afraid" of councillors as a result of the reform movement, which forced the downfall of former president Soeharto.

Unfortunately, the councillors have not displayed skills or moral integrity, believed to be a consequence of hasty and poor selection of candidates for the 1999 general election.

The indirect electoral system, in which the fate of a governor is determined by the council's 85 councillors, is believed to have been the trigger for money politics.

Direct elections would reduce the likelihood of money politics: It would be impossible for gubernatorial candidates to buy millions of votes of Jakarta residents. The elected governor need not be too scared of the councillors since he or she would not be responsible to them but to the people.

The state Constitution has been amended and now stipulates a direct presidential election. Law 22/1999 on regional autonomy and Law 34/1999 on the Jakarta administration are being reviewed in the House of Representatives to allow the direct gubernatorial election.

However, the fact is Sutiyoso has been reelected as governor for the next five year.

It is the duty of the public, residents and non-governmental organizations to keep watch over Sutiyoso's administration as we cannot delegate the duty to city councillors with any confidence.