PDI wants officials to declare their wealth
PDI wants officials to declare their wealth
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) called on government officials yesterday to declare their wealth before and after they hold positions in a bid to help create a clean government.
PDI legislators said a ruling is necessary that should apply for all government officials from village chiefs to the President without exception.
"The ruling should also apply for members of the House of Representatives," House member Sabam Sirait told journalists.
Similar calls have resurfaced lately amid renewed calls for more serious efforts to stamp out corruption in the bureaucracy.
Minister of Transmigration Siswono Yudohusodo was the one who rekindled the debate on the need for government officials to have their fortunes audited before after they assume office.
Siswono's call came at a time when the controversy over Minister of Transportation Haryanto Dhanutirto's alleged misappropriation of Rp 9 billion (about $4 million) in state funds had died down. Haryanto was cleared later by President Soeharto, but the debate about corruption lingers on.
Three other cabinet ministers have reportedly given their support to Siswono's move. They are State Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja, Minister of Health Sujudi and Minister of Tourism, Post and Telecommunication Joop Ave.
New vigor
Sabam said that the anti-corruption drive should be relaunched with new vigor. Cabinet ministers should be able to serve as a model for clean bureaucrats. "Every cabinet minister should make sure that there is no official under their charge who will tarnish the government's image with corrupt practices," he said.
While PDI is mounting its anti-corruption campaign, the party's own leaders have become target of press allegations graft recently.
Gatra magazine alleged that Sabam, Sukowaluyo Mintorahardjo, Popo Sonadar Haroen, V.B. Da Costa and Nana Mulyana Sukanta, took Rp 32 million in bribes from farmers in Lampung to defend them in a dispute with a company, PT Central Pertiwi Bratasena, which wants to acquire their shrimp ponds.
The legislators yesterday denied the charges and plan to sue the magazine for libel. They said Gatra may have been used by PDI's rivals to discredit it in connection with next year's general election.
"We are preparing the case," said senior legislator Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno.
The conflict between the 3,000 farmers and PT Bratasena started in 1994. The farmers rejected the Rp 3.5 million the company initially offered in compensation for each hectare of their brackish shrimp ponds.
PDI legislators said the conflict continues as the company, in collaboration with local officials, has reportedly used force.
Intervention by the PDI and the National Commission on Human Rights has not brought any results, they said. (pan)