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)