Update sought on Wiranto, Hamzah funds
Update sought on Wiranto, Hamzah funds
M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The General Elections Commission (KPU) asked on Saturday
presidential candidates Wiranto and Hamzah Haz to submit their
most recent bank accounts.
The KPU said Golkar Party's Wiranto-Solahudin Wahid ticket had
reported their account balance, which amounted to Rp 49 billion
(US$5.2 million). Their statement of account was dated May 31, a
day before campaigning began.
The list of donors revealed that the Golkar Party contributed
Rp 30 billion, while Wiranto donated Rp 3.7 billion. The
remainder was provided both by individual and corporate donors.
Wiranto, who is a former Indonesian Military (TNI) commander,
submitted a recent statement of wealth, which totaled Rp 39.35
billion plus $44,397, to the Corruption Eradication Commission.
The candidates nominated by the United Development Party
(PPP), Hamzah Haz and Agum Gumelar, have not updated their
statement of account, which stood at Rp 2.75 billion as of May
31.
KPU data reveals that at least Rp 216 billion in public funds
went to the five presidential candidates to fund their activities
during the campaigning period, which concluded on Thursday.
Of that amount, almost half went to the candidates of the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), incumbent
president Megawati Soekarnoputri and Hasyim Muzadi, who had
amassed Rp 103 billion from both individual and corporate donors
as of June 30.
Donors to the ticket were mostly corporations, which
contributed Rp 66 billion.
The pair's opening balance was a mere Rp 2.6 billion.
Candidates of the upstart Democratic Party Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono and Jusuf Kalla were third, with Rp 40 billion,
excluding noncash donations that await calculation. Their opening
balance stood at Rp 1.5 billion.
The pair's most recent statement was dated June 2, with
corporations donating Rp 16 billion. Two of Kalla's companies, PT
Bukaka Teknik Utama and PT Hadji Kalla, contributed Rp 1 billion
each.
National Mandate Party (PAN) candidates Amien Rais and Siswono
Yudohusodo submitted their most recent statement dated July 1,
showing a balance of Rp 22 billion. Most contributions came from
individual donors.
Law No. 23/2003 on presidential elections stipulates that one
day before the presidential campaign all candidates must submit
statements of bank accounts through which they will accept
donations from supporters. The candidates must report to the KPU
individual donations amounting to Rp 5 million (US$526) or more
and corporate donations of Rp 750 million or more. The statements
must be updated a day after the end of the month-long campaign.
KPU member Mulyana W. Kusumah said that the commission would
seek an explanation from the Wiranto-Solahuddin and Hamzah-Agum
tickets as to why they had not submitted up-to-date statements.
Commission deputy chairman Ramlan Surbakti said the candidates
would also have to submit the balance sheet of their campaign
fund report to the KPU no later than July 8.
"Afterwards, we shall ask independent accountants to carry out
a thorough audit of the balance sheets," he said.
Contacted separately, PPP treasurer Rahmat Basuki said the
bank statement submitted by the Hamzah-Agum ticket was flawed due
to a typographical error.
"We forgot to change the May 31 date to the new date when we
submitted the report to the KPU a few days ago," he said.
Rifki Mochtar, from the Wiranto-Solahuddin camp, confirmed
that the pair had not updated the data.
"We shall submit the correct data on July 4," he told The
Jakarta Post.
I-box
Law No. 23/2003 on presidential elections stipulates penalties
for campaign fund irregularities:
Article 89 (6): Those who give or receive campaign funds
exceeding the designated amount face between four months and two
years in jail or a fine of between Rp 200 million and Rp 1
billion.
Article 89 (8): Those who provide false information in campaign
fund reports may face between two months and 12 months in prison
or a fine of between Rp 1 million and Rp 10 million.