Anticorruption moves: Small steps, big results<\/p>\n
Patrick Guntensperger , Business Consultant, Jakarta<\/p>\n
ttpguntensperger@hotmail.com<\/p>\n
As Indonesia will have a new government in place very soon,
\nnow is the time for us to start considering what we want in terms
\nof new policies, procedures and services. While enormous,
\nsweeping changes are needed in order to reverse the tide of
\ncorruption in this country, small steps should not be eschewed.<\/p>\n
The small steps recommended here are intended to have an
\neffect in two ways; in the first place, they should add a little
\nefficiency to the civil service and in the second place, they
\nwill reflect the new thinking that should be encouraged in the
\npeople of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The new thinking, of course, is the paradigm shift to the
\nperspective that the civil service, indeed all government, is the
\nservant of the people rather than the reverse. Whether such a
\nparadigm shift can be accomplished in gradual stages is an open
\nquestion; let's hope that it can.<\/p>\n
If democracy is to be the way of life in Indonesia, that
\nparadigm shift must occur; if it isn't done in gradual stages, we
\nmust recognize that it may very well occur in a sudden violent
\nconfrontation, and that is something nobody wants.<\/p>\n
One small step is to start making the government more
\naccessible to the people. Every government office that deals
\ndirectly with the public should be made more user-friendly. For
\nexample, in any place where people are required to queue up in
\norder to acquire permits, licenses, documents or services, there
\nshould be prominently displayed signs that list the actual fees
\nfor those items.<\/p>\n
A small detail like that will increase efficiency and decrease
\nthe frustration level of those who have to stand in a queue for
\nhours simply to ask the cost of, say, a building permit. It will
\nact as a minor anti-corruption measure because the officials
\nresponsible for processing the request will find it slightly more
\ndifficult to charge whatever they think they can get away with.<\/p>\n
If, along with the information regarding the legal price of
\nthose government services, a line or two were added to inform
\npeople that it is a criminal offense for a government employee to
\nsolicit additional payment for providing these services, another
\nsmall increment in the direction of efficiency, good government
\nand the paradigm shift will have been contributed.<\/p>\n
A phone number to report demands for graft would go even
\nfurther in the right direction. Someone on the other end of the
\nphone line who could actually do something about a report of
\ncorruption would go further still.<\/p>\n
None of these suggestions are radical steps. None of them cost
\nmuch. If a government that had taken a position against
\ncorruption in the public service initiated them, it would be an
\nindicator to the public that the issue was being taken seriously
\nand that the government was actually listening to the people.<\/p>\n
If these steps were to be taken as part of a broader, more
\ncomprehensive campaign to clean up the embarrassing level of
\ngraft and corruption, the international community would start to
\nlook at Indonesia in a different light.<\/p>\n
If international corporations, investors, NGOs and
\norganizations of all sorts were to detect the beginnings of a
\ntendency towards reliability, integrity and accountability in
\nIndonesia's domestic government, the economic climate would
\nimprove dramatically and immediately.<\/p>\n
A commitment on the part of any new government in Indonesia to
\nsmall matters, to details like the efficient, honest day-to-day
\nmanagement of domestic affairs would be perceived by the
\ninternational investment community as an indicator that Indonesia
\nis approaching maturity. They would know that she was worthy of
\nbeing considered for investment and, eventually, for inclusion as
\na player in the game of geopolitical economics rather than merely
\nas a piece to be shoved around on the board.<\/p>\n
The hard truth is that right now, the rest of the world does
\nsimply not take Indonesia seriously. Those who might otherwise
\nbring their interests, needs, talents and, most importantly,
\nmoney, to this country, consider the level of corruption in this
\ncountry to be comical. They can afford to laugh at us, because
\nthey are not directly affected; they are not directly affected
\nbecause their caution warns them to stay away. That is a tragedy.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has one of the largest populations in the world,
\nabundant natural resources, ready-made foreign and domestic
\nmarkets for her products and a population of intelligent,
\nenergetic people.<\/p>\n
However, Indonesia suffers from her well-deserved reputation
\nas one of the most corrupt countries on the planet and is at the
\nvery bottom of the list of places people are interested in
\ninvesting in. Small steps can begin to change that.<\/p>\n
Indonesia needs dramatic measures to effect the changes that
\nwill reverse the economic situation that ensures her position as
\nthe classic example of a backwards Third World country. But until
\na leader with the vision and the courage to take those dramatic
\nmeasures emerges, we can demand that these small steps be taken.<\/p>\n
These small steps and hundreds of other similar, obvious,
\ninexpensive steps will contribute to an atmosphere that will
\nbring about enormous change for the better. The elections are
\ncoming. It's up to us.<\/p>",
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