BPK TO AUDIT 2009 FISCAL STIMULUS FUNDS

Jakarta, July 21 (ANTARA) - The State Audit Board (BPK) plans to audit the use of 2009 fiscal stimulus funds to assess how effectively the money has been spent in dealing with the impact of the global financial crisis.

"Some time ago the state audit boards of Indonesia and Malaysia at their meeting in Bukit Tinggi (West Sumatra) agreed on a number of anticipatory measures to address the impact of the global crisis," the head of the BPK's research and development directorate, Gudono, said here on Tuesday.

One of the steps taken by many countries to overcome the impact of the global crisis was launching fiscal stimulus programs, he said.

"We will audit the implementation of the fiscal stimulus program and, no doubt, Malaysia will do the same in their own way," he said.

He doubted that the implementation of a fiscal stimulus program in a country had definitely had a positive impact on its economy.

Citing an example, he said although the US government had launched a fiscal stimulus program, its unemployment rate rose to 9.2 percent from 8 percent previously.

He said the results of the BPK's audit would serve as an input for various parties, particularly government economic agencies to take further steps.

The state audit boards of Indonesia and Malaysia were scheduled to meet again later this month to discuss the planned audits on the stimulus programs in their respective country.

"We have prepared a proposal, and so has Malaysia. We will meet again to discuss among others the feasibility and methodology of the audits," he said.***2***