KPK Will Increase Access to Public Official's Wealth Reports

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) will once again allow the public to access data relating to public official's wealth reports (LHKPN). The new system will be different from previous methods enabling access to this information. Now the public will be able to access this data from a computer within the Clearing House, a division of KPK that functions as a public information center.

The KPK director of LHKPN, Muhammad Sigit explained in Jakarta, Sunday (2/11), that in addition to displaying this information via public records, KPK would provide direct access to the public to view the LHKPN through a computer.

“The information can only be viewed, not printed. We wish to show the public that LHKPN are available for public access,” said Sigit.

Previously, KPK prevented direct public access to these documents. Members of the public who wished to see the reports were asked to view them on the public record. This decision received criticism from a number of sources including former KPK commissioners.

Sigit explained that the public would be able to view LHKPN data on a computer within KPK starting from December 2008 at the latest. It is likely that access will be opened before the end of November 2008 after KPK have finalized all technical aspects such as transforming hard copies into electronic data. The material displayed is not allowed to be printed to prevent the data from being misused. “Those who wish to view the LHKPN data are able to copy the information by hand,” said Sigit.

The Clearing House is a unit developed by KPK with the aim of compiling all sources of information from a variety of directorates. One source of this information is the central database.

Based on notes from August 2004; the reason that KPK prevented direct public access to LHKPN data was a lack of legal advice regarding revoking the authority to publish documents formerly belonging to the Commission for Audit of Wealth of State Officials (KPKN) according to Law No. 28/1999.

Source: Kompas 3 November 2008

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