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)