Jakarta – Many state officials have demonstrated their unwillingness to disclose their wealth and assets as only 13 percent of the total forms distributed by the Public Servants' Wealth Audit Commission (KPKPN) have been returned.

The head of KPKPN's judicial division Chairul Imam said on Wednesday that a total of 24,999 forms have been distributed since March. But only 3,126 forms have been returned. "We gave the National Police headquarters 150 forms on March 23. But so far we have received less than 50 completed forms. The National Police chief has not returned it, neither the newly installed one nor the old chief," he told a media conference here on Wednesday.

All the officials should have returned their wealth audit forms one month after it was received by them. The ironic thing, he said, is that very few officials at the Attorney General's Office have returned the forms, while they are supposed to be the on the vanguard in combating corruption. "We distributed a total of 157 forms on April 19. But up until now, over three months later, not even 20 forms have been returned," Chairul said.

Former attorney general Marzuki Darusman has yet to declare his wealth to the commission. "Many failed to give any reason why they haven't submitted it. There are also officials who said that they haven't got documents to substantiate their wealth," Chairul said. He said beginning next month, his office are going to start verifying all the reports.

Among the officials whose wealth was declared on Wednesday was Arifin Panigoro, chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle at the House of Representatives, whose assets are worth Rp 245.4 billion and US$2,299,222. According to the report, he has no debt.

Separately on Wednesday, Government Watch (Gowa) coordinator Farid R. Faqih criticized the form submitted by KPKPN as incomplete as it, for instance, does not state the period of time the officials occupied their positions. "The commission should also set a limitation on grants, as grants and bribes sometimes cannot be differentiated," he told The Jakarta Post over the phone. KPKPN, he added, should also coordinate with the taxation department and non-governmental organizations in the verification of assets. He also suspected that many officials were not honest in filling out the forms.

The head of the commission, Yusuf Syakir stated in March that according to Law No. 28/1999 on clean government, all state officials should declare their wealth, otherwise administrative sanctions could be taken against them. The maximum administrative sanction is dismissal. But the commission has limitations as no one could fire a legislator, he said.