TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama said that he would employ interns to investigate Rp 1.8 trillion (US$138.5 million) “phantom funds” in a document known as the 2016 General Policy for City Budget Priorities and the Tentative Budget Platform (KUA-PPAS).
“We and the [Jakarta Legislative Council] speaker will use external auditors. I myself will employ interns. Most of them are smart, have master degrees and can perform audits. Some of interns that I employ are auditors. We have found things,” Ahok said at the City Hall on Saturday, November 28, 2015.
Jakarta Legislative Council Speaker Prasetyo Edi Marsudi revealed on Friday, November 27, 2015, that he was also checking the 2016 KUA-PPAS with independent auditors. Prasetyo found that several regional working units (SKPD) included budgets worth Rp 1.88 trillion (US$144.7 million) without nomenclatures.
Ahok admitted that the “phantom funds” found by Prasetyo existed, confirming that there were city officials who tried to manipulate the budget. Ahok revealed that such budget manipulation had been committed by SKPDs since long ago.
Therefore, Ahok instructed his subordinate to implement performance-based budget, requiring funds to have real purposes whenever disbursed.
ANGELINA ANJAR SAWITRI