Political parties 'vie to control state assets'

Political parties 'vie to control state assets'

JAKARTA (JP): Analysts noted on Tuesday the struggle between
political parties to control state assets, warning this situation
could perpetuate corruption in the government.

Economist Faisal Basri said there were indications ministers
were vying to control lucrative state companies and agencies for
the benefit of their respective parties.

"We're seeing here efforts to mobilize resources for the next
general election in 2004," Faisal said in a debate on corruption,
collusion and nepotism organized by the Ministry of Forestry and
Plantation.

He cited, for example, the recent row between State Minister
of Investment/State Enterprises Development Laksamana Sukardi
with finance minister Bambang Sudibyo over authority over state-
owned banks.

The row resulted in President Abdurrahman Wahid issuing two
conflicting governmental regulations within five days.

Governmental regulation No. 96/1999, issued on Dec. 22, handed
over the authority to supervise all state enterprises to
Laksamana, but was revoked five days later with the issuance of
governmental regulation No. 98/1999 that put the state banks
under the supervision of Bambang.

It was reported that Bambang lobbied the President to revoke
the first governmental regulation.

Laksamana is from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
(PDI-Perjuangan), while Bambang is from the National Mandate
Party (PAN).

A similar row occurred between Minister of Agriculture
Mohammad Prakosa and Minister of Forestry and Plantation Nur
Mahmudi Ismail, who are from the PDI-Perjuangan and the Justice
Party respectively.

The President issued decree No. 72 on Dec. 22, transferring
the directorate general of plantations to the Ministry of
Agriculture, but five days after he issued another decree, No.
175, returning the directorate general to the Ministry of
Forestry.

Faisal said the cases showed there was a rift in the current
Cabinet.

"Corruption in ministries is now tending to become the
organized crimes of politicians," he said.

He said during former president Soeharto's regime, corruption,
collusion and nepotism benefited the businesses of Soeharto's
family and cronies.

Now the motives had changed, he said, with party loyalties
motivating ministers to abuse their authority.

Even during the administration of Soeharto's successor, B.J.
Habibie, ministries became tools for ruling politicians to win
votes at election time, Faisal said.

He alleged the former minister of forestry and plantations,
Muslimin Nasution, distributed forest concessions to Islamic
boarding schools and universities in a bid to gain their support
for Habibie.

He said similar moves had been detected in ministries run by
the present Cabinet.

As President Abdurrahman himself indicated during the
inauguration of his Cabinet, the line up of ministers represented
a compromise of the various political interests that brought him
to the presidency, Faisal said.

Faisal suggested a Cabinet reshuffle, saying the present
Cabinet showed no teamwork.

"If this goes on, we'll find ourselves with organized crimes
by politicians," he said on the sidelines of the debate.

Coordinator of Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) Teten Masduki
agreed with Faisal that some politicians had already committed
crimes by securing state assets for the benefit of their
respective parties.

"To achieve a political goal, a politician should buy up other
politicians and law enforcers, and become a large party
contributor," Teten quipped. (03)