Sutiyoso accused of using funds for pets, cars and kid
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)