Sutiyoso puts auditors at ease on controversial asset issue

Sutiyoso puts auditors at ease on controversial asset issue

Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

City Governor Sutiyoso on Monday was questioned by an
investigating team of the Public Servants' Wealth Audit
Commission (KPKPN) over his wealth report and some controversial
assets brought to their attention by the public.

However, chairman of the KPKPN team, Thoha Rasidi, said after
the questioning that Sutiyoso managed to clarify all questions
regarding the issue, and added that he was very happy with the
way Sutiyoso responded his team.

"Sutiyoso responded to our questions clearly. I'm satisfied
with that," Thoha told the press after the meeting at the KPKPN
office in Central Jakarta on Monday.

KPKPN Deputy Chairman for Executive Affairs Muchayat
previously said that they had received some reports from the
public about Sutiyoso's controversial assets, including one
hectare in Cisarua subdistrict, Bogor and some Rp 1.6 billion
allegedly used for compensation to victims of the July 27, 1996
incident.

Sutiyoso did not include the one hectare of land in Cisarua in
his wealth report to the KPKPN because he apparently does not
have a clear ownership document for the land. Later, it was
revealed that it is state land. He had villa there, but
demolished it in a public display late last year.

Sutiyoso, who was the Jakarta Military chief in 1996, has been
implicated in the July 27 incident, in which a group of military
soldiers and their proxies attacked supporters of PDI Chairwoman
Megawati Soekarnoputri at their headquarters on Jl. Diponegoro,
Central Jakarta.

Thoha said that, despite having received it over a year ago,
the team still needed to check out Sutiyoso's explanations by
taking a look at all the properties mentioned by the governor.

In his wealth report to the KPKPN on Aug. 9, 2001, Sutiyoso
stated that his total assets were Rp 10.09 billion in addition to
US$215,126 in cash (approximately Rp 2 billion).

However, another KPKPN official, who asked not to be
identified, alleged that the governor had underreported his
wealth.

Another controversial property is a 15-hectare plot of land in
Ciampea, Bogor, which was reported by Sutiyoso as a farming,
forestry, fishery and mining area. But he admitted on Monday that
there was a villa on it.

"We will check all of Sutiyoso's explanations with the reality
in the field," Thoha said.

Meanwhile, Sutiyoso admitted that there were a number of
mistakes on his wealth report, but blamed it on his inability to
understand the complicated form prepared by the commission.

Responding to question on the compensation funds for victims
of the July, 27 1996 incident, Sutiyoso denied that he had a role
in it.

KPKPN Deputy Chairman for Executive Affairs Muchayat said
although the base salary of Governor Sutiyoso was officially Rp 3
million per month, his real monthly income reached beyond Rp 200
million (about US$ 23,000 per month).

"The Rp 200 million is an official income for the governor per
month," Muchayat told the press on Monday, adding that the income
came from a number of allowances, a percentage of taxes and other
"fees" drawn from the public.