Jokowi, KPK agree on range of measures to fight corruption

Fikri Zaki Muhammadi
The Jakarta Post

Jakarta | Tue, May 28, 2013 | 10:35 am

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) will station a team in the Jakarta gubernatorial office in an endeavor to promote transparency and close coordination in the fight against corruption in the city bureaucracy.

Jakarta Governor Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo told KPK members that his administration was always transparent in spending the city's budget and implementing all development programs. He said that he disseminated the information to all citizens.

'We have placed detailed information about the city budget in subdistrict, district and municipality offices, so all things can be closely monitored by the people,' Jokowi said at the City Hall on Monday.

Jokowi said that the electronic payment system the city was using could also prevent corrupt practices. 'We have implemented an online tax payment for restaurants, hotels and parking,' he said. 'We believe that by this method, we can increase city income.'

Jokowi was certain that he could create a thoroughly transparent governance, admitting, however, that it might take time. 'It needs strong political will at all levels.'

The Jakarta Administration's 2011 financial statement was audited by the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) as good without any disclaimers (WTP-DPP). The agency will not issue the report on the 2012 financial statement until the end of June.

In the latest audit, the BPK told the city administration to better monitor education funds, land utilization, flood control and traffic congestion, and to focus on its assets, the maintenance of which the agency said was still poor.

Meanwhile, KPK deputy chief Bambang Widjojanto said that installing personnel in a provincial administration was in line with the 2002 KPK Law, which stipulated that the commission could obtain information from all state and public institutions to prevent officials from abusing their power.

'We have told the governor that we will design a human resource architecture and install some of our staff here,' Bambang said at the City Hall. He did not deny the possibility of using city administration officials as their agents as well.

Bambang explained that the staff would observe and study the bureaucratic processes in the office that were prone to corruption. The results, he added, might be reported to higher institutions for follow up action.

'We are still designing the system to examine the possibilities for corruption and misappropriation,' Bambang said.

'But it won't be long until we place our staff here,' he added, hoping that the cooperation could be implemented immediately to increase the workers' professionalism.

Bambang said that the system should be sustainable. 'We should support good people like Pak Jokowi and the deputy governor.'

Bambang also praised Jokowi for disseminating information on the city budget to the lowest levels of government, saying that only Brazil had implemented this transparency method.

Earlier this month, Jokowi set a good example for local leaders by handing over a guitar to the KPK given by Robert Trujillo, bassist with American heavy metal band Metallica, to avoid any potential violation of the Corruption Law.

The bassist gave the guitar to the governor through promoter Jonathan Liu who plans to stage a Metallica concert in Jakarta later this year.

Trujillo hand wrote a personal message on the guitar, saying 'Giving back! To Jokowi. Keep playing that cool funky bass.'

Bambang explained that KPK auditors were still checking whether the guitar was a form of gratuity or not.