NGO alleges corruption of education fund

NGO alleges corruption of education fund

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A non-governmental organization demanded on Wednesday that the
city administration impose sanctions on the primary education
division of the city education agency for alleged corruption
causing the state to suffer more than Rp 3.5 billion in losses.

"Based on our independent research into the publishing of
physics and biology textbooks for junior high schools and Islamic
junior high schools, we have found evidence of corruption in the
tenders," said Saidin Yusuf, chairman of the Education Care
Foundation (P2B)

Saidin said his NGO had discovered that the primary education
division had been marking up the prices for the publishing of the
textbooks since 2000.

"The tenders are unreasonable as the market rate is between Rp
18 and Rp 22 per page, while the winner of the tender was paid Rp
47 per page," said Saidin after a meeting with the social welfare
assistant to the city secretary, Ahmad Hariadi, and the head of
the city social disturbance monitoring center, Raya Siahaan, who
met the group on behalf of Governor Sutiyoso.

Due to the markups, Saidin said his group estimated that the
state had suffered more than Rp 3.5 billion in losses.

Saidin told reporters that his group had also found that the
tenders conducted by the city primary education division were
only intended to cover up corruption as most participants in the
tenders were fictitious publishing firms.

"We have conducted some cross-checks on these participants and
found out that most of them were fictitious companies which have
no offices, just names," said Saidin.

Saidin said his NGO had also reported the case to the Jakarta
Police's anticorruption section and the Jakarta Prosecutors'
Office on Tuesday.

"They, both the police and prosecutors, have vowed to process
the report and to take legal action in the near future," said
Saidin.

Saidin revealed that since his NGO had first discovered such
practices in 2000, they had frequently reported the
irregularities to the city administration but thus far there had
been no follow-up undertaken.

"We would urge the administration to follow up on this case
immediately and not turn a blind eye to such violations. Such
corruption will only further increase the already high cost of
the education that must be paid for by our children," Saidin
said.

Ahmad Hariadi promised to follow up on the report. However, he
failed to explain what measures would be taken by the
administration.

"I cannot respond to the case immediately as I must discuss
the matter first with the respective institutions, including the
City Audit Board. But, I promise the case won't be closed," he
said.

It has long been an open secret that city officials often
conduct tenders secretively, and that they conspire with tender
participants, as well as winners. But so far no action has been
taken to stop such practices.