T

he Jambi branch of the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) has uncovered more than Rp 320 billion (US$3.2 million) in state losses in a number of agencies within the Jambi provincial administration from 2003 to 2008, an official said Monday.

Head of the BPK's Jambi office, Erwin, said that Rp 281 billion of the losses had been accounted for, while the remaining Rp 39 billion had not yet been accounted for.

"That was the figure as of October this year," he said.

Of the losses that are still to be accounted for, Erwin said, Rp 1.3 billion in losses was suffered by the provincial administration, while unpaid taxes and fines made up the remaining Rp 11.4 billion.

Further losses were caused by misappropriation of asset administration funds (Rp 18.8 billion), over spending (Rp 1.1 billion) and ineffectiveness (Rp 6.3 billion), he added.

Erwin, however, said the findings were not final and expressed hope the Jambi Legislative Council would wisely follow up the findings especially as they were related to public funds.

"They must be able to follow them up wisely," he said.

The people, he added, had the right to know where and how their money had been spent.

As partners, he said, the BPK and the council could work together to control the use of the taxpayers' money, while the administration as the manager of the money, could report its work to the public.

Erwin said the BPK's findings could not be directly brought to the legal domain as their authority was limited by some regulations.

"That's why we really hope the legislative council will be able to follow up the findings and ensure the case sees the proper legal channels," he said.

Separately the provincial legislative council's speaker Effendi Hatta assured that his office would be more transparent in handling all reports. He also promised to follow up the BPK finding because it involved a significant amount in the state loss.

"You have our word that we will follow up the case, but we first have to study the report thoroughly before deliberating it in a plenary meeting," Effendi said.

Among the follow-up actions to take regarding the report, he said, included a plan to send the Jambi governor a letter so the governor could warn the agencies concerned in his administration.

"If there were irregularities, the governor should warn the agencies," Effendi said.

Meanwhile Governor Zulkifli Nurdin admitted there were a number of BPK findings that had yet to be investigated. He therefore promised to follow up all the findings.