Sutiyoso hits back, claims success in 2000

JAKARTA (JP): Governor Sutiyoso hit back at his critics on Friday boasting a myriad of achievements delivered during nine months of the 2000 fiscal year, specifically drawing attention to a boost in the city's revenue.

Presenting his progress report in a plenary session at the City Council, Sutiyoso said his administration reaped in Rp 4,894 trillion (US$489 million) in income, surpassing the initial target of Rp 4,059 trillion.

The governor said taxes and fees were the main contributors to the increase in revenue, while city-owned enterprises, the other major source of income, fared below par.

Taxes and fees earned the city Rp 2,439 trillion, up 41 percent from the target of Rp 1,729 trillion.

On the contrary, profits from the city-owned companies were 81.70 percent below target, Sutiyoso said, without mentioning the rupiah amount.

"Some of the companies, including market operator PD Pasar Jaya, property firm PD Pembangunan Sarana Jaya and slaughter house PD Dharma Jaya, were unable to record profits as expected," Sutiyoso said.

He said the city-owned tap water company PD PAM Jaya was still suffering losses because most of its revenue was used to pay its long term debts, restraining it from contributing to the city's coffers.

Sutiyoso claimed that expenditure of the 2000 city budget was based on the principles of prudence, consistency and compliance with "the sense of crisis".

He said that routine spending was projected to total Rp 2,972 trillion, but only 85 percent of that figure was used.

The low routine expenditure figure was attributable to decreases in city spending on employees, maintenance and official travel allowances.

"It's still not optimal, but it is pleasing. It means that our saving efforts paid off," Sutiyoso said.

Sutiyoso also cited a number of his administration's policies aimed at improving public services.

Among the improved public services included the processing of resident identification cards (KTP) and building permits, which are both free of charge.

He said improvements were also evident among services provided for public cemeteries, parking and community health centers.

On his commitment to upholding the law, Sutiyoso said his administration had completed investigations into 24 cases related to corruption, collusion and nepotism, known as KKN, last year.

Meanwhile, after hearing the governor's speech, several councillors expressed their dissatisfaction with the report, but fell short of considering its rejection.

"Sutiyoso failed to elaborate KKN cases his administration has managed to solve," Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle's faction chief Audy I.Z. Tambunan said.

He viewed public services, such as KTP processing and public cemeteries, remained poorly administered.

Asked if the faction would reject the accountability speech, Audy replied: "We will study it first, but (our stance is) fifty- fifty."

Councillor Amarullah Asbah of the Golkar Party said Sutiyoso was considered successful for exceeding targets set for the 2000 fiscal year.

"Probably, the administration intentionally set moderate targets so they could boast when they fared better," Amarullah, who is chairman of the Council's Commission C for the city Budget, told reporters.

However, he viewed that the accountability speech was 60 percent acceptable, while some improvement were needed from the governor if he were to retain the council's trust.

Another councillor, Sambudi Bakri of the National Mandate Party (PAN) suspected that it would be difficult for the council to reject the accountability speech, which was based on the 2000 city budget.

"How could we turn down the budget, since we were involved in drafting it since the beginning?" Sambudi said. (jun)