Probe of budget sales stepped up

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The House of Representatives disciplinary committee has sent nine members to various regions to investigate alleged corruption in the disbursement of disaster relief funds.

Committee chairman Slamet Effendi Yusuf said on Saturday that the nine lawmakers would hold talk with local administration officials to verify the graft allegations.

"We will start the visits to the regions today," he said.

He declined to disclose the names of the legislators nor the regions they were visiting.

The House has come under fire over allegations that some of its members, particularly those on the budget committee, were involved in the "sale" of relief funds earmarked for disaster-hit regions.

According to documents detailing the alleged wrongdoing, certain lawmakers, in some cases working in cahoots with middlemen, offered local administrations a bigger share of relief funds, or to speed up the disbursement process in return for a bribe.

The central government allocates the relief funds to the regions after a closed-door consultation process with the House budget commission.

The House disciplinary committee has summoned seven lawmakers for questioning in connection with the case, which has further tarnished the already poor image of the House.

The high profile case has also prompted the powerful Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to launch an investigation. Experts say that such malfeasance has long been the norm in the House, but has never been clearly exposed to the public.

Slamet said that he welcome the involvement of the KPK in the investigation of the case. The KPK, which is tasked with handling the investigation of major graft cases, has gained public respect following its success in handling of a graft case involving the influential suspended governor of oil and gas-rich Aceh province, and the uncovering of massive corruption at the General Elections Commission (KPU).