MoU to be signed to empower wealth audit commission

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Public Servants' Wealth Audit Commission (KPKPN) will sign a Memorandum of Understanding that will allow an investigation into state officials, including military officers, whom the commission suspects of having been involved in corruption, collusion and nepotism.

The signing is expected to take place in a week, and will involve KPKPN chief Yusuf Syakir, Attorney General MA Rachman, Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Adm. Widodo AS and National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar.

Yusuf said the MoU was needed because Law No. 28/1999 on clean governance did not stipulate any steps for following up on the commission's findings that certain officials had obtained their wealth through improper channels.

"If a civilian is believed to have been involved in graft, the investigation will be conducted by either the police or the prosecutors. The process will also apply in the military, with the Military Police investigating officers who are alleged to have committed a crime," Yusuf told reporters at his office on Jl. Juanda in Central Jakarta.

Since its establishment a year ago, the KPKPN has received wealth declarations from only around 1,000 state officials and legislators. During its five-year term, the commission is targeting 50,000 officials from the top to the lowest echelons in the executive, legislature and judiciary.

Yusuf said that in its verification of the wealth declarations submitted by 126 House of Representatives legislators, the commission suspected that five declarants had obtained at least some of their wealth through corruption, collusion, or nepotism.

The KPKPN has also found irregularities in the wealth declarations of seven first echelon officials, four court officials and four officials of state-owned companies, according to Yusuf.

The law says that the commission should report the alleged graft to the President, the House, and the Supreme Audit Agency.

Asked whether the TNI chief's presence at the signing of the MoU was related to reports that some military figures were allegedly involved in graft, Yusuf said: "Like other state officials, military officers, as part of the executive branch, must declare their wealth to us. The TNI chief will help us investigate officers involved in corruption, collusion, or nepotism."

The military top brass have all declared their wealth, with the Army's Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) chief Lt. Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu topping the list with Rp 3.5 billion in total assets.

The military has come under fire for its lack of transparency in providing financial reports on its institutions and foundations, which are commonly engaged in business.