Believe it or not<\/p>\n
Unbelievable things do happen in Indonesia, to an unbelievable
\nextent and in unbelievable ways. For example, the country is top
\nof the list of the most corrupt countries in the world. And yet,
\nonly a handful of wrongdoers have been prosecuted. No wonder, the
\nRipley's Believe It or Not exhibition in Jakarta was forced to
\nclose down two years ago, reportedly because of poor business.
\nWas it perhaps a case that it could no longer compete with the
\nquality of unbelievable things that regularly happen here?<\/p>\n
The latest in this theater of the absurd is the report that 77
\nvehicles valued at more than Rp 5 billion (about US$581,395
\nmillion) have been retained by former General Election Commission
\n(KPU) members and officials ever since the 1999 election. Among
\nthose who have refused to return the state-owned vehicles are, of
\nall people, former minister of home affairs Gen. (ret) Rudini,
\ntwo retired directors general of social and political affairs at
\nthe Ministry of Home Affairs, Djunidja and Sutoyo, and
\npoliticians Sri Bintang Pamungkas, Mahadi Sinambela and Yahya C.
\nStaquf.<\/p>\n
KPU deputy chairman Ramlan Surbakti said that among the
\nludicrous excuses given by these recalcitrant officials was \"my
\nchildren still need the use of the cars\".<\/p>\n
Sources disclose that the case of the \"missing\" cars is just
\nthe tip of a scandalous iceberg within the KPU. Rumor has it that
\nan estimated 35 percent of the Rp 1.5 trillion budget for the
\n1999 election was embezzled or, to use politically correct
\nphraseology, has not been accounted for. The KPU's budget for the
\ncoming 2004 election is about Rp 3.2 billion. And reportedly,
\ncertain parties have already started jostling to be designated as
\n\"election contractors\" so as to get a piece of the action.<\/p>\n
Is conscience such an incredibly rare and elusive quality
\nhere? Should we ask Ripley to reopen its exhibition hall
\nfeaturing a different kind of show? Something like, \"Believe It
\nor Not, the Indonesian Way\"?<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/believe-it-or-not-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}