The audit board's report

The audit board's report

While presenting the State Audit Board's findings for the
first half of the past budget year to House of Representatives
chairman H. Wahono earlier this week, Audit Board chairman Prof.
Dr. J.B. Sumarlin said he hoped the document could be of good use
to legislators. According to Sumarlin, the document was important
for the enhancement of the House's control function vis-a-vis the
government, and also for optimizing the country's financial
management.

Obviously this is not the first time that such a document has
been presented by the State Audit Board (BPK) to the House of
Representatives. But we have no idea about the manner in which
House members -- either individually or in the House commissions
or factions -- have followed up past BPK reports. Neither do we
have enough information concerning the constraints that may be
hampering our national legislature in its efforts to follow up
those reports, which involve irregularities or inefficiencies in
our country's financial management.

Could all of this be a result of the insufficient exercise of
our legislator's and legislature's rights, as exemplified by the
fact that the right of inquiry has so far never been used? Or
could it be the overly restrictive internal House rules? Could
our political culture and cadre system, or our political system
of recruitment, cause House members to be reluctant to act?

The dynamics that are at play in our society demand with
increasing urgency that certain problems be resolved without
delay that social and political disturbances may be prevented
from occurring.

-- Surabaya Post