Reform team criticized for lack of achievement
Reform team criticized for lack of achievement
JAKARTA (JP): A councilor has criticized the reform team set
up by Governor Sutiyoso to rid the city administration of
corruption, collusion and nepotism for its resounding lack of
achievement.
Amarullah Asbah, the chairman of Commission C for financial
affairs, said on Tuesday that the team had yet to publicly
announced the findings of its investigation or take any steps
toward bringing corrupt officials to account for their misdeeds.
"All of us are determined to eradicate corruption and we want
clear action to be taken. We, the councilors, have yet to receive
any reports or information from the team," Amarullah from the
Golkar faction said.
As examples of malfeasance he cited collusion between the
city-owned market management company PD Pasar Jaya and the
private sector and the illegal acquisition of several city
properties by private companies.
Amarullah said cooperation between Pasar Jaya and PT Binacipta
Tataswati had resulted in the management of Kenari market in
Central Jakarta changing hands.
The private firm then went on to charge each market trader a
monthly fee of Rp 24,000 (US$3) per square meter, ostensibly for
maintenance, he said. The payment has burdened traders struggling
to make a living during the recession, he added.
"Moreover, Pasar Jaya has lost its right to manage the
market," he said.
Bank Bira's suspicious acquisition of a 2,187-square-meter
plot of land belonging to the city on Jl. Matraman in East
Jakarta has yet to be thoroughly investigated by the team, he
added.
Amarullah urged the team to inform the governor of the real
situation and to resist the temptation of glossing over the
truth.
"Don't trick the governor by submitting only good news. Please
report things just the way they are," he said.
He said there were a number of cases involving corrupt city
officials which have remained unresolved simply because the full
facts were not reported to the governor.
"I don't want to point my finger at anyone. But if the team
continues like this, it will not satisfy the general public," he
said.
Amarullah also urged the governor to evaluate the achievements
of the team and to consider changing its members.
The reform team was set up in June under a gubernatorial
decree aimed at meeting the public's demand for a purge of the
bureaucracy, greater transparency and improved public services.
The team is led by Deputy Governor for Administrative Affairs
Abdul Kahfi. Its work is focused on four major issues -- public
services, the budget, expenditure, and law and organization.
(ivy)