Action against corruption<\/p>\n
Suara Pembaruan of Wednesday, Oct. 25, 1995 reported that a
\nmeeting to intensify and coordinate fighting corruption, attended
\nby all inspectors general, was held at the Attorney General's
\nOffice.<\/p>\n
This really is good news and it is about time that this was
\ndone. Is it really difficult to fight corruption? Some find that
\nthe existing anti-corruption law gives too much protection to an
\naccused corruptor based on the principle or presumption of
\ninnocence. The prosecution, as it is now, has to prove that an
\naccused is corrupt. I heard that in Malaysia they follow the
\nprinciple of presumption of corruption. Based on this principle
\nthe accused should prove that he is innocent.<\/p>\n
Several times I have tried to point out that detection is not
\nvery difficult. Just open your eyes and ears and you will see and
\nhear. This is like the advice of the Coordinating Minister for
\nPolitical Affairs and Security Soesilo Soedarman, in his
\nexplanation on the formless organization case.<\/p>\n
Just look around at the wealth some officials and former
\nofficials have accumulated. Government officials' salaries are no
\nsecrets and very transparent. When we compare the wealth they
\nhave accumulated and their rightful income, then you start asking
\nhow all this is possible. The houses they own, the number of cars
\nat their disposal and the fat bank account in their names are
\neasy to trace because all this show of wealth can be seen with
\nthe naked eyes.<\/p>\n
Perhaps this case is a dilemma for the government because too
\nmany officials and former officials are involved. Strangely
\nenough, corruption is conducted by people who have enough money
\nand enough of everything, including power.<\/p>\n
The President, in his State Address, said: \"Such a large
\napparatus definitely cannot be free of shortcomings, errors and
\nmalpractice. One cannot deny that there is corruption and abuse
\nof power that will be definitely dealt with according to the
\nlaw.\"<\/p>\n
The world is really starting to fight corruption. We read of
\nconcrete and courageous steps taken by governments all over the
\nworld. A former president is arrested, a vice president is
\naccused and flees his country, a prime minister is arrested, a
\nsecretary-general of a big international organization is relieved
\nfrom his post, a minister of finance is suspected. All these are,
\nalas, outside Indonesia.<\/p>\n
According to The Jakarta Post of March 17, 1995, the
\nIndonesian government has, so far, recovered only 33 billion
\nrupiah (US$15 million) out of 1.1 trillion rupiah of embezzled
\nstate money during the 1994\/1995 fiscal year. The figure of 1.1
\ntrillion is the result of investigating 212 cases. Most
\ncorruption cases occurred in the Department of Home Affairs (106
\ncases), followed by Department of Cooperatives (62 cases) and the
\nnext is Bank Indonesia (59 cases).<\/p>\n
If I am not mistaken, there was once a Presidential Decree
\nrequiring all officials to regularly declare their wealth and its
\nincrease\/decrease. It should be done on a yearly basis. If this
\ndecree still exists and is carried out according to the letter,
\nthen I think we can catch plenty of suspects. The political will
\nis there, the top executive has given several warnings and the
\nanti-corruption law is there, so what are we waiting for.<\/p>\n
We do not need demonstrators shouting \"fight corruption\" to
\nstart fighting corruption, graft, bribes, unlawful collection
\netc. These cases are mighty weapons for communism, to be used
\nagainst the government using forms difficult to detect.<\/p>\n
In conclusion, this meeting should be followed by concrete
\nsteps and actions and I sincerely hope we will see, in the not
\ntoo distant future, corruptors arrested and convicted.<\/p>\n
SOEGIH ARTO<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/action-against-corruption-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }