Let’s make a deal: President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (right) greets Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) leaders (from left) Ali Masykur Musa, Rizal Djalil, Hasan Bisri and Taufiequrrachman Ruki, at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta in this Nov. 3 file photo. The majority of BPK leaders are politicians and supporters of the ruling elite. Antara/Widodo S. Jusuf
With the Supreme Audit Agency’s (BPK) leadership composed mostly of politicians and staunch supporters of the ruling elite, there is growing concern over the agency’s independence in its job to spot indications of graft at state and government offices.
By background, seven of the nine BPK leaders have close links to political parties.
BPK chairman Hadi Poernomo, although elected by lawmakers from a professional line, is widely known as a loyalist to Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri.
Hadi served as tax chief in Megawati’s administration between 2001 and 2004, working directly beneath the finance minister at the time, Boediono.
Although he managed briefly to keep his post under President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati sacked him in mid-2006 due to the out-of-control corruption at the tax office.
Hadi took the dismissal personally, refusing to step foot in the Finance Ministry for good, according to tax officials close to him.
As Mulyani confidant Darmin Nasution took over from Hadi as tax chief, most of the latter’s trusted officials were kicked out of Jakarta.
Having effectively ended his career with the tax office, Hadi turned to the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) as head of its Council of Strategic Analysis’ economic division.
He retired earlier this year and joined the House of Representatives’ selection for BPK chairman to replace the firebrand Anwar Nasution. The nomination and election of BPK leaders is the sole authority of the House.
Inaugurated in late October, Hadi inherited the political minefield of continuing the investigative audit into the Bank Century bailout, initiated by Anwar upon request by the House.
In an interview on Nov. 23, Hadi claimed the audit was around 75 percent complete when he took office, and that he was only overseeing the remaining 25 percent.
The outcome of the audit, submitted to the House on that date, suggested the Century bailout in November last year lacked any legal basis. Mulyani and Boediono were the decision makers behind the bailout, which eventually cost Rp 6.76 trillion (US$716 million).
Hadi said BPK leaders Taufiequrrachman Ruki and Hasan Bisri were responsible for the audit.
“I wasn’t entirely involved in the audit, but as chairman, I’m responsible for ensuring the audit is accountable and free of any political motives,” he said.
Taufiequrrachman, a retired police general and former chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), is known to have close ties to Yudhoyono. However, he has repeatedly stressed his independence.
Several legislators on the House’s financial and economic commission say Yudhoyono would have preferred Taufiequrachman to chair the BPK, who was pipped to the post in a vote among BPK leaders, with most of them coming from the opposition to the President.
Besides Hadi and Taufiequrrachman, another politically wired BPK leader is Herman Widyananda, a veteran politician with the Golkar Party.
Herman, an ally of former vice president Jusuf Kalla, has served at the agency since 2007.
In a 2003-2006 stint as a legislator, Herman dealt mostly with financial and economic issues, forging close ties during this time with Hadi.
Another Golkar stalwart and Kalla ally now serving on the BPK is Muhammad Nurlif.
A BPK leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, said both Herman and Nurlif had voted for Hadi to lead the agency.
Another influential politician in the BPK ranks is Rizal Djalil of the National Mandate Party (PAN).
Rizal is among the confidants of the highly influential Coordinating Economic Minister Hatta Radjasa, who is now bidding to become the PAN chairman.
Ali Masykur Musa is another BPK leader from the political structure. His selection was backed by the Nation Awakening Party (PKB), from the side loyal to ousted PKB founder Abdurrachman “Gus Dur” Wahid. Ali is also said to have voted for Hadi.
Sapto Amal Damandari may also have close links with political parties due to his years of service as a special adviser to the House’s financial and economic commission. However, his party support base
is unclear.
Analysts believe the only BPK leaders with limited exposure to political parties are Moermahadi Soerja Djanegara and Hasan Bisri.
Moermahadi is a professional accountant with various consultancies, while Hasan is a career BPK official.
- JP/Rendi A. Wintular
