Erwida Maulia and Irawaty Wardany, Jakarta – The majority of House of Representatives members have yet to submit their wealth reports to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) before the deadline on Dec. 1.

KPK deputy chairman Haryono Umar said Wednesday that 402 out of 560 House members, or about 70 percent, had yet to submit their wealth reports, despite the deadline.

"Only 158 House members have submitted their wealth reports, although the deadline was on Dec. 1," Haryono said. He added the KPK's efforts to boost the legislators' awareness on the issue also seemed to be fruitless.

Haryono said the antigraft body had sent a letter to the House leadership on the issue, held a program to help legislators fill out the wealth report form called the LHKPN, and had opened a special counter to help legislators fill in the forms at their offices.

"The programs, however, didn't receive a good response from the lawmakers," Haryono said.

He added that lawmakers who had reported their wealth mostly came from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the People's Conscience Party (Hanura), the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) and the Golkar Party.

Lawmakers from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the first and the third-largest parties at the House respectively, did not appear to be among those submitting their wealth reports on time.

Previously, Haryono also revealed there were three more state officials who had yet to report their wealth to the commission.

They included the Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Darwin Saleh, State Secretary Sudi Silalahi and National Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) chairman Gita Wirjawan.

The 2003 KPK Law obliges all state officials to report their wealth to the commission in an attempt to create transparency and prevent corruption.

Contacted separately, Emerson Yuntho from Indonesia Corruption Watch criticized the KPK for not pressuring state officials to report their wealth.

"We really regret the KPK is being so gentle in this matter.

"It only encouraged or asked the ministers and lawmakers to submit their reports," he told The Jakarta Post over the phone.

"They [the KPK] are supposed to act more firmly by sending a letter to the House Speaker to warn the lawmakers who have yet to report their wealth. The result is an indicator that lawmakers do not have a strong desire to eradicate corruption."

He suggested the KPK announce the names of lawmakers and other state officials who had failed to submit their wealth reports on the KPK website as a social punishment for ignoring their obligations.

"We have actually proposed a draft amendment of the KPK Law that would see stricter punishments for state officials or lawmakers who do not submit their wealth reports," Emerson said.

In the current KPK Law, all state officials and lawmakers are obliged to report their wealth, however, there is no penalty if they fail to do so.

Emerson also highlighted the problem of the public's limited access to wealth reports.