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There is no doubt that the previous system of appointing senior civil servants by the House of Representatives was crooked and rotten. Most of the candidates, notwithstanding their qualifications, were compelled to pay large bribes to legislators essentially to be able to do their job.

The four-year investigation into the Rp 24 billion ($2.7 million) allegedly paid to legislators to get Miranda Goeltom appointed as Bank Indonesia’s senior deputy governor in 2004 appears to have reached a turning point. Miranda has now been declared a suspect, and if found guilty she will face up to five years behind bars.

She has been accused of violating two articles of Law No. 31 of 1999 on corruption and the Criminal Code concerning the provision of presents or promises to civil servants in relation to their positions, and of taking part, assisting or motivating others to engage in corruption.

Her case is illustrative of how bad the bureaucratic system is and how urgently it must be fixed. The fact is that nobody can question Miranda’s qualifications. She is one of the most respected central bankers in the country, if not the region, and she met all the criteria for post.

But it remains a mystery as to why she was compelled to bribe her way into the position if indeed she did so. If she did do it, that raises some serious questions, such as what did the person bankrolling the bribery expect from Miranda after once she settled in as Bank Indonsia’s senior deputy governor?

If this is the nature of the system, doesn’t it follow that other appointees have to bribe their way into their jobs, too? Could Miranda be simply a victim of a system that is now using her as a scapegoat?

More importantly, are things still like this? If they are, the system must be fixed. A strong message must be sent that it is not acceptable and that it is not conducive for good government or for business. Unfortunately, no mention of this has been made either by legislators or the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

If we do not fix the core structure of the system itself, we will never eradicate corruption and it will continue in other forms.