Sutiyoso accused of using funds for pets, cars and kid

JAKARTA (JP): A senior city official claims Governor Sutiyoso has dipped into "a great deal" of the city budget for personal use, including maintenance for his fleet of 20 luxury cars, to feed his household pets and to pay for the foreign schooling of one of his children.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the official said on Monday that he and other senior officials would soon send a warning letter to Sutiyoso outlining the scope of his gubernatorial rights and responsibilities.

He did not provide an estimate on the amount of the alleged misuse.

"The people's money also has been misused to fund (one of) the governor's children studying abroad," the source told The Jakarta Post.

Many of the city administration's high-ranking officials illegally use public funds for personal use, he added.

He said Sutiyoso's auto maintenance needs were for his "Range Rover, Land Cruiser, Hammer, Boxer, Mercedes Benz and others.

"Many offices here have data showing how Sutiyoso can pay for so much on such a small salary," the source said. He put the governor's monthly salary at about Rp 2.5 million.

Funds also were taken, he added, to pay for feed for Sutiyoso's birds, fish and other pets.

The source said he and his colleagues decided to go public with the allegations after the City Council's approval of the administration's plan to increase revenue by raising levies between 27 percent and 600 percent on 23 types of business services.

"While so much money is being spent for top executives and their pets, the administration claims to have no money and used this in its decision to increase levies," he said.

"This is unfair and will burden the people."

Sutiyoso could not be reached for comment on Tuesday but Lukman Zaini, acting spokesman for the city administration, said he was surprised by the claims.

"I do not know anything... don't ask me," he told the Post.

He said the governor received "honorary fees" in addition to his salary because of his position on the supervisory boards of at least 17 city owned firms.

"Each firm pays Pak Sutiyoso honorary fees in the millions of rupiah for his services," he said. (ylt)