Motorcycles and dishonesty

Motorcycles and dishonesty

From Suara Karya

Recent press reports have raised the issue of moge (local term
for big motorcycles), i.e. Harley Davidsons used during the Non-
Aligned Movement summit in 1992, which are valued at an estimated
Rp 400 million per unit. Reports of the unlawful control of these
motorcycles by Jakarta city officials obviously indicates
corruption, collusion and nepotism. Thank God, this foul conduct
finally became public knowledge by being leaked by those who
failed to share the fortune. After the exposure, the culprits
hastily returned their loot virtually in a state of scrap iron.

We are again faced with the behavior of Jakarta's corrupt
(executive and legislative) officials, who only think of their
own insatiable craving for a luxurious existence while ignoring
decency as long as opportunity allows. It's still fresh in our
minds how their worldly desires were reflected in other cases
such as the allocation of Hyundai official cars, foreign tours
for pleasure, allotment of land plots, government-funded study,
fitness allowances and severance pay. In the meantime, none of
the city's long-standing problems has been solved, like the
parking confusion, hooliganism, messed up traffic conditions,
etc.

To be fair, the Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP) should
audit all the cars and moge imported for the SEA Games or the
summit that were only to be later shared among the authorities
themselves. One couldn't find any proof of open tenders of ex-
summit cars like Range Rovers etc., which are now displayed in
the garages of some officials.

The officials who have already returned the moge should be
made to account for their actions. If necessary, they should be
forced to make the motorcycles roadworthy again at their own
expense. Otherwise, they should be dismissed. Besides, BPKP needs
to promptly announce its audit results concerning the status of
hundreds of luxury cars and moge so as to unveil the dishonest
ones.

H. WISDARMANTO GS

Jakarta