Sutiyoso confesses to using DLLAJ's Harleys

Sutiyoso confesses to using DLLAJ's Harleys

JAKARTA (JP): Governor Sutiyoso admitted here on Friday that
he utilized two Harley Davidson motorbikes belonging to the City
Land Transportation Agency (DLLAJ).

However, he denied that he had appropriated them for private
use. "As a governor, I deserve to be guarded by DLLAJ officials
on their Harleys," the governor said.

Two DLLAJ officials riding Harleys guard Sutiyoso while
traveling from his official residence to City Hall and anywhere
else he travels in the course of conducting his gubernatorial
duties.

The white Harleys are usually parked outside City Hall and,
after being used for the governor's protection, are supposed to
be returned to the DLLAJ garage. But now, according to a source
at City Hall, the Harleys are taken to the governor's official
residence.

Sutiyoso reportedly owns at least three Harleys, which he has
collected since serving with the army.

Besides Sutiyoso, another senior official who has acquired a
Harley motorbike guard is the deputy governor for administrative
affairs, Abdul Kahfi.

However, the administration's information division head,
Muhayat, confirmed that only the governor is entitled to the
privilege of being guarded by the Harleys. "Deputy governors are
not entitled to such a privilege," he remarked.

Abdul Kahfi acknowledged that he had used the DLLAJ'S Harleys
to guard his car.

Separately, Amarullah Asbah, the head of Commission C for
budgetary and financial affairs at the City Council, urged senior
City Hall officials to return the Harleys to DLLAJ because they
were bought with tax payers' money.

He confirmed that officials can actually own other City Hall
assets, such as vehicles and furniture, but the items should be
purchased through a bidding process.

"If the senior officials commandeer the Harleys for private
use, it means they have manipulated their authority," he said on
Friday.

As many as 11 Harley Davidson motorbikes belonging to DLLAJ
have been claimed by 10 senior officials of the city
administration and former governor Wiyogo Atmodarminto for
private use.

The bikes were acquired by the administration in 1992 to guard
national leaders attending the Non Aligned Movement Summit.

Unlike the Harleys used by other senior officials, those used
by the governor's guards were acquired in 1997.(04)