T

he integrated service offices in Jakarta's five municipalities had yet to provide optimal services to the public, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said after a rare inspection of those offices Monday.

Despite the visits being out of the ordinary, the KPK's impromptu inspection of the North Jakarta office did not seem to raise any eyebrows.

"This is an impromptu inspection. The mayor and his deputy are out of office right now. We are doing this to check if public service offices have improved services for the public," KPK deputy chairman Bibit Samad Rianto said Monday.

When asked about improving public services, North Jakarta Land Agency head Cecep B. Gunawan admitted there were still some loopholes, including bribery, at his office.

KPK deputy chairman Chandra M. Hamzah, who visited the Central Jakarta one-stop service, said he had uncovered irregularities at that office. Also, fees charged for the "fast-track" service "were not submitted to the state treasurer," Chandra said as quoted by Antara.

Notary officer Yudho claimed he had to pay "extra fees" to obtain land certificates at the North Jakarta office. "If I do not provide an envelope *containing bribe money*, they will prompt me to ask, *is this all?'"

Yudho said he would not let the added fees jeopardize his business, adding that the officials could single him out and make it even more difficult for him to obtain land certificates for his clients unless he paid.

The illegal fees ranged from Rp 10,000 (US$1) to hundreds of thousands of rupiah, Yudho said.

However, other offices (including tax offices) in West and South Jakarta had shown significant improvements, he said.

"The *tax* officials refused *to take bribes* every time I inserted money into documents," Yudho said.

Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo said he supported the KPK's efforts in monitoring public service offices, and acknowledged the offices' poor service record.

The five Jakarta mayors would meet the KPK on Tuesday to deliver public service procedures, he said.

"It is wrong for *public service offices* to charge extra fees, which is breaking the law," Fauzi said.