New BPK chairman pledges to fight bureaucratic graft
New BPK chairman pledges to fight bureaucratic graft
JAKARTA (JP): Newly appointed Supreme Audit Agency (BPK)
chairman Satrio B. Joedono promised on Thursday to maintain his
integrity in the fight against corruption, collusion and nepotism
in the bureaucracy.
"(I will not let myself) be bribed, coerced or persuaded to do
wrong things. (I will comply with) my official oath," the former
minister of trade, who is more popularly known as Billy Joedono,
told reporters at Merdeka palace after President B.J. Habibie
installed him to head up the agency.
Billy was among three names proposed by the House of
Representatives to Habibie last month to fill the vacant post.
The others were Bambang Wahyudi, a lecturer at Padjadjaran
University in Bandung, and Bambang Triaji, the current secretary-
general of the agency.
Billy was nominated only after several controversial
developments.
The House first looked at the board's former chairman, Gen.
(ret) Kunarto, former finance minister Mar'ie Muhammad and
economist Zaki Baridwan.
Habibie reportedly favored Kunarto, who refused the position
in protest of the planned appointment of Riva Siata as the
agency's deputy chairman, saying he could not cooperate with
Riva.
The House then proposed Billy for the position, in addition to
Mar'ie and Zaki. Mar'ie, known as "Mr. Clean", was later dropped
from the list put forward to Habibie for a final selection after
a rare vote.
The Golkar, Armed Forces (ABRI) and Indonesian Democratic
Party (PDI) factions supported Billy, while the United
Development Party (PPP) called for Mar'ie to be appointed.
PPP forced a vote, resulting in 225 votes for Billy and 67 for
Mar'ie and four abstentions. Of the 67 votes for Mar'ie, two were
from Golkar legislators, while the rest were from the PPP.
Billy, who served as Indonesia's ambassador to France before
being appointed as BPK chairman, was also known as "Mr. Clean"
when he served as trade minister. Journalists covering his
activities always noted that he carried an old leather bag which
he bought in 1993.
He was sacked in Dec. 1995 by former president Soeharto after
allegedly refusing to grant some business contracts to Soeharto's
crony Mohamad "Bob" Hasan.
He was the first of Soeharto's Cabinet members to be fired in
mid-term. Soeharto pushed him out by dissolving his ministry and
merging it with the ministry of industry.
When asked by reporters if he dared to reveal corrupt
practices in the government's bodies, Billy said: "Bravery is
relative. Just look at my past."
Billy said after his installment he would first meet Mari'e,
who he said was a friend, and talk over how the media reported
the competition between the two for the position.
"I will say hello to him," said Billy, still with his old
leather bag on hand. (jsk)