Nivell Rayda

Govt Given a Failing Grade For Its Efforts on Corruption

Despite its claims, the government has failed in the fight against rampant corruption at government institutions across the country, a discussion on bureaucratic reform heard on Thursday.

Teguh Kurniawan, a specialist in state administration at the University of Indonesia, which hosted the event, said there were still many civil servants who accepted illegal fees and abused their authority for personal gain, and that the government had failed to impose standards of good governance and transparency through its bureaucratic reform program.

“The government needs to set up a mechanism for external control, particularly from the public, and fix the existing systems that have given the opportunity for officials to be corrupt,” Teguh said.

“The government must fry the big fish and serve them up as an example to deter others from graft.”

Teguh said the government could not claim the success of the independent Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) as its own.

The KPK has achieved a 100 percent conviction rate and has put high-ranking officials, including members of the House of Representatives, behind bars for corruption.

“The [poorer] performance of the Attorney General’s Office and the police is what really reflects on the government’s commitment,” he said.

Hasril Hertanto, a legal expert at the university, said a sure indicator of the government’s lack of commitment was the bill on the Anti-Corruption Court.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and leaders of the House on Wednesday agreed to push for the passage of six “crucial” bills before the current legislature is dissolved on Sept. 30, but the much-anticipated bill on the Anti-Corruption Court was not one of them.

The current Anti-Corruption Court, hailed as a key weapon in the country’s battle against corruption, has its legal basis in a 2002 law on the KPK. The Constitutional Court, however, ruled that this mechanism was unconstitutional and ordered that a new law be drawn up and enacted before Dec. 19.

Yudhoyono said that he preferred not to issue a special regulation in lieu of law, known as a perpu, for the Anti-Corruption Court, as many observers have sought because of the drawn-out legislative debate that has so far held up the bill.

“This is the government’s true test,” Hasril said. “If they are committed, then they should push for the new law to be enacted.”

Danang Widoyoko, the chairman of Indonesia Corruption Watch, said that in the 11 years since the fall of Suharto, the pay and conditions of public servants had improved greatly but graft still prevailed in most government institutions.

“There are 17 ministries in the current cabinet, but only the Ministry of Finance has shown a commitment to fighting graft internally,” he said.

During the administration of current Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indriani, the ministry has replaced more than 3,000 officials due to incompetence or graft.

“So really, this is an initiative of the minister and has nothing to do with the government as a whole,” Danang said.