The Indonesian Forum for Budget Transparency (Fitra) revealed that from 2007 to 2009, the city administration had allocated Rp 17.35 billion (US$1.83 million) to procure computers, of which none cropped up in the city's assets inventory.
Fitra secretary-general Yuna Farhan said Fitra suspected the computers had been claimed as personal assets.
"From 2007 to 2009, assuming an average price of Rp 18 million, there should be at least 965 notebook computers in city administration offices," he said in a press release Thursday.
Brand-name notebook computers such as Acer, Toshiba and Apple retail on average for less than Rp 15 million. Fitra also questioned the administration's formulation of the budget.
"The formulation *of the computer budget* seems haphazard and careless and leaves room for abuse. The prices quoted varied wildly, showing no relation to the computer's specifications," Yuna added.
He cited an allocation of Rp 549,481,800 for "a personal computer, laptop and printer" in the budget.
This violates the principles of transparency, efficiency and effectiveness in budget formulation as required in 2003 and 2004 laws, a 2005 government regulation and a 2007 ministerial regulation on regional and state budget management, Fitra said.
"Such costly budgeting may continue because the administration has allocated Rp 3.63 billion to procure computers for 2010," Yuna said, adding that such practices should be stopped, as it would lead to price mark ups.
The administration's allocations to procure computers were Rp 6.26 billion in 2007, Rp 5.73 billion in 2008, Rp 5.36 billion in 2009 and will be Rp 3.63 billion in 2010, totaling Rp 20.98 billion for four years.
Fitra further pointed out that no notebook computers were mentioned in the city administration's asset inventory between 2007 to 2009.
Jakarta Financial Management Agency spokesman Sukri Bey said all disbursement and procurement, including laptops and computers, were reported to the Asset Management Division at his agency.
"Every asset must be noted down and reported to us. If not, it's the mistake of the head of the working unit," he told The Jakarta Post by phone Thursday.
He said working units could allocate their budgets to buy computers or laptops, depending on their needs, but that the city would raise questions about goods that were reportedly procured but did not exist in the asset inventory.
"We must ask *the working units* whether they really procured the goods," he said.
When asked about the total Rp 17.35 billion allocated for computers and laptops since 2007, Sukri said the amount was reasonable considering the city had 702 working units.
In 2007, the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) signed off on the city's financial reports with a "low confidence" disclaimer.
The BPK issued the disclaimer after discovering 169 irregularities totaling more than Rp 5.6 trillion.
Sukri said the administration would improve its accountability to get a better rating from the BPK. Also, the administration needs exemplary budget reports for two consecutive years to meet standards given its plan to issue bonds.
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