PKS, Gerindra accused of violating information rights

Two political parties in Yogyakarta have been reported to the Provincial Information Commission (KIP) for allegedly failing to provide information about the parties’ financial management and programs.

The report was filed on Wednesday by nongovernmental organization Aksara.

It said it had been asking nine large political parties in the province to provide information about the matters since March 28, but the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party had ignored the request.

“Today we reported the two parties to KIP Yogyakarta,” Aksara public information coordinator Sri Surani told the media.

Citing Law No. 14/2008 on public information, Sri pointed out the obligation of political parties as public institutions to provide the public with information within 30 days of receiving a request.

Sri said a request had been sent to the nine political parties as part of its cooperation with Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW), which was organizing a test on a public information involving the political parties in Yogyakarta, Semarang (Central Java), Jakarta and Makassar (South Sulawesi).

“We will analyze the reports to see, for instance, whether the parties have a budget for political educational programs,” said Sri.

She said that of the nine parties, only the Democratic Party and the Golkar Party had provided complete information.

KIP Yogyakarta chairwoman Siti Roswati Handayani confirmed receiving a report from Aksara.

“This is the first information dispute we will handle since KIP Yogyakarta officially started operations in October 2011,” she said.

She said the commission would examine the documents and respond within seven days.

To resolve the case, she said, the commission would examine whether the political parties had received funds from the provincial budget.

Siti also expressed hope that both the PKS and Gerindra would cooperate in finding a solution and be willing to have the case mediated.

PKS Yogyakarta branch secretary Zuhrif Hudaya said his party wanted to meet with Aksara first before providing the information.

“We want to know what they will do with the information,” he said.

He added that the party had also reported the use of funds from the provincial budget to the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK), and that the information could be obtained from the BPK report.

Gerindra Party Yogyakarta branch chairman Yose Rizal was not available for comment.