Nepotism rife in city-owned companies

Nepotism rife in city-owned companies

JAKARTA (JP): The central government's pledge to fight the
practice of nepotism seems to be ineffective as some officials of
the city administration and the City Council have reportedly
placed their children and close relatives in some city-owned
companies.

Reliable sources said on Tuesday that some people were
believed to have passed the selection of new employees of the
companies in July this year because of their parents' influential
power.

"They are accepted because their parents are high officials in
the administration," said a source at city-owned developer PT
Pembangunan Jaya Ancol (PJA), who requested anonymity.

The source said a son-in-law of deputy governor for
development affairs Budihardjo Sukmadi Bagus Prayogo was accepted
at PJA's planning division.

Budihardjo's foster son Catur was also accepted at the
company's development division, the source said.

The source also said that City Council Chairman Edy Waluyo
also placed his son Budi Waluyo in the company's public relations
department.

The company's spokesman, Muhridjul Adly, admitted later on
Tuesday that both Edy's son Budi Waluyo and Budhihardjo's son
Catur work at the company.

But the spokesman did not give information on Budihardjo's
son-in-law, who also reportedly works at the company.

PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol, which manages the Ancol
recreational park in North Jakarta, is known as "a milch cow" for
administration officials.

The company financed several controversial trips made by city
officials and councillors to South Africa, Japan and Australia,
last year. The case is still being investigated by the
prosecutor's office.

Meanwhile, another source said that City Council deputy
speaker Djafar Badjeber and councillor Posman Siahaan of the
Unity and Justice Party had also placed their daughters as
employees at city-owned market operator PD Pasar Jaya.

"The two councillors' daughters work at the company's public
relations department," the source said.

The source said many senior employees of PD Pasar Jaya were
disappointed that they could not place their relatives in the
company even though they had better skills than the councillors'
daughters.

Posman, who is a member of the council's commission A for
legal and administrative affairs, admitted that his daughter
works at the company.

"But I was not involved in the selection process," he told
reporters on Tuesday.

Djafar of the United Development Party also admitted that his
daughter was accepted in the company but asked the media not to
blow the matter up.

Similar to PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol, PD Pasar Jaya is also
known as a "milch cow" for certain councillors.

Some councillors had earlier requested the company give them
shops at markets managed by PD Pasar Jaya, including newly
renovated Glodok Plaza shopping center in West Jakarta and Kenari
market on Jl. Kramat Raya, Central Jakarta.

Budihardjo Sukmadi and Edy Waluyo could not be reached for
comment on Tuesday. (jun)