NGO warns budget ripe for corruption

NGO warns budget ripe for corruption

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

More than Rp 1.5 trillion (US$111 million) of the spending
outlined in the 2002 draft city budget, which amounts to a total
of Rp 11.05 trillion, could be saved, while Rp 539 billion of the
proposed spending was susceptible to corruption, a non-
governmental organization said on Friday.

The Indonesian Forum for Budget Transparency (Fitra) revealed
that based on a study it carried out on 14 of the draft budget's
books, the city's 24 agencies and offices had allocated a total
of Rp 968 billion to pay for the governor and councillors.

"The allocation of this money is defrauding the public as
special allocations for the governor and councillors have already
been made," Fitra's deputy director Haryono said in a public
discussion at a hotel in Central Jakarta.

Haryono pointed out, for example, that the governor and
councillors would get Rp 10 billion from the City Education
Agency, Rp 3.6 billion from the City Empowerment Agency, Rp 24
billion from the City Youth and Sports Agency and Rp 6 billion
from the City Social Affairs Agency.

According to the draft budget, the South Jakarta, West
Jakarta, East Jakarta and North Jakarta municipalities had
allocated Rp 254 billion, Rp 208 billion, Rp 317 billion and Rp
556 million respectively for the upkeep of the governor, deputy
governor and councillors.

"These are double allocations. The allocation of these monies
is part of a conspiracy among the Jakarta elite to hoodwink the
public," Haryono asserted.

He said the draft budget had already allocated Rp 9 billion
for Governor Sutiyoso, Rp 6 billion for Deputy Governor Fauzi
Bowo, and Rp 91.6 billion for the city's 85 councillors.

Based on Fitra's study of Government Regulation No. 109/2000
on the financing of the governor and deputy governor, and
Government Regulation No. 110 on the financing of the City
Council, Haryono said the allocation of the additional funds
should be reduced.

He said the allocation for Sutiyoso should be reduced from Rp
9 billion to Rp 1.4 billion, Fauzi's allocation from Rp 6 billion
to Rp 799 million, while the City Council allocation should be
lowered from Rp 91.6 billion to Rp 47 billion.

"We could save at least Rp 259 billion if we prepare the
budget for the city's leaders in accordance with the procedures,"
he said.

Besides the allocation of these monies, Fitra also found that
there were various unclear allocations in the 2003 draft budget
worth a total of Rp 539 billion, all of which would be prone to
corruption.

Included in the Rp 539 billion worth of allocations was one of
Rp 414 billion for the city secretariat to be used to aid
political parties, and social and mass organizations.

According to the draft budget, the city secretariat will also
be allotted Rp 114 billion as a contingency fund, something that
would also be susceptible to corruption.

Meanwhile, the City Council had been allocated Rp 8 billion
for allowances for members and council leaders, and Rp 804
million for allowances for teachers, medical staff, and the
governor and deputy governor.

The 2003 draft budget states that the Seribu Islands regency
will get Rp 900 million for empowerment programs. According to
Fitri, these were unclear and also prone to corruption.

City Secretary Ritola Tasmaya admitted that some explanations
in the draft budget needed further clarification. This was
because the administration had used different calculation methods
from those employed in last year's budget.

"However, the allocations can still be reviewed as they're
still at the discussion stage," Ritola said during the
discussion.