Officials failing to submit wealth reports warned
Annastashya Emmanuelle, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
President Megawati Soekarnoputri gave the nod on Tuesday to a proposal tabled by the chief of the Public Servants' Wealth Audit Commission (KPKPN) to dismiss government officials and legislators who still refuse to submit a wealth report.
According to commission head Yusuf Syakir, only 1,348 of a total of about 14,000 legislators nationwide have declared their wealth so far.
In the executive branch of government, only 41 percent of 25,000 forms have been returned, including those from the military and the police.
The fact that the commission lacks the authority to force government officials to report their wealth has prompted Yusuf to propose that the President punish those who have not done so. The report is required by law to be submitted by legislators and civil servants. Upon assuming a post, every government official takes an oath to uphold the law in their daily conduct.
In failing to do so, government officials are subject to dismissal according to Government Regulation No. 30/1989, Article 6.
"My suggestion is to dismiss those who have failed to report their wealth as they have violated their pledge to always uphold the law," Yusuf said.
"The President agrees (with the proposal)," Yusuf told reporters after verifying the wealth of Megawati and her husband Taufik Kiemas at the official presidential residence in Central Jakarta.
The Commission has also suggested that the President impose Article 216 of the Criminal Code, which would enable sanctions to be applied to those who have defied the orders of their superiors. Violators could be put in detention for a maximum of four months.
The commission, established in 1999 as a means of combating corruption, has sent letters to the superiors of those who failed to submit their reports, to instruct their subordinates to immediately declare their wealth.
Representatives of the commission will soon meet with members of the House regarding this matter.
In their verification of the President's and her husband's wealth, the Commission did not find any discrepancy with the report submitted by Megawati on March 22, when she was still Vice President.
Megawati and Taufik's wealth amounted to Rp 59.8 billion.
Regarding the Volkswagen Beetle car and one gas station, which were not included in their wealth report, Taufik told the Commission they were not part of the couple's assets.
The Beetle, often driven by Megawati, belongs to their daughter Puan Maharani, commission member Muchayat, quoting Taufik, told reporters.
From the eight gas stations owned by the family, one was given to their granddaughter Diah Pingkan -- daughter of Puan Maharani -- immediately after she was born.
Megawati and Taufik are still required to complete the documentation of their wealth, such as land certificates, and to certify as an inheritance the art collection given to the family by the late President Sukarno.