Sutiyoso violates ministerial decree
Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Post
As a governor, Sutiyoso should abide by the law. Ironically, he has long violated a ministerial decree that bans him from holding the post of commissioner at the city-owned market operator, PD Pasar Jaya.
Sutiyoso has occupied the position since his installment as the city governor in October 1999. Such a thing was common during Soeharto's regime, when top government officials automatically became commissioners in state-owned firms.
But late in the year, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued decree No. 50/1999 to ban a governor or a deputy governor from becoming a commissioner in state companies, according to deputy chairman of City Council Commission B for economic affairs Dani Anwar.
"The governor has, up till now, received a salary from PD Pasar Jaya," Dani of the Justice Party told reporters.
According Bylaw No. 3/1999 on PD Pasar Jaya, a commissioner receives a monthly salary amounting to 40 percent of the president's.
However, it is not clear exactly how large their salaries are.
According to the Audit Commission on State Officials' Wealth (KPKPN), Sutiyoso's wealth amounted to Rp 15 billion, making him the richest governor in Indonesia.
The councillors found that Sutiyoso was still PD Pasar Jaya's commissioner during a two-day meeting with the market's officials at city-owned resort Wisma Jaya in the Puncak, Bogor, West Java, last week.
At that time, they questioned the low contribution of the market to the city's income.
Last year, the market's income was Rp 150 billion (US$15 million) but only Rp 3 billion of this went into the city's coffers. This year the market was only targeted to contribute Rp 1.4 billion.
It has long been known that the market has become a cash cow for certain city officials and councillors.
It is also reported that several councillors have often asked to be "allocated" shop units in the shopping centers operated by the market firm.
The firm operates dozens of traditional markets and shopping centers, including the country's largest textile market at Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta.
Commission B repeatedly asked the governor to replace the market's executives but he never responded seriously.
"We will invite the market's executives to explain their financial situation," councillor Dani said.
Separately, deputy governor for financial affairs Fauzi Alvie Yasin said the governor would soon resign as the market's commissioner.
"Probably, it will happen next month. It was almost overlooked as we have many other things as high priorities," Fauzi told reporters.
He admitted that the market firm was the worst for corruption and collusion among city-owned companies due to its large number of employees.
He revealed that some 60 percent of the employees, who reportedly amounted to 6,000 people, would be moved to the market firm's subsidiaries.
"So we are not simply toppling the top executives of the market firm due to its bad performance," Fauzi said.