'I don't care' about graft report: Minister<\/p>\n
Muninggar Sri Saraswati and Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Government officials appeared indifferent when responding to a
\nsurvey by Transparency International Indonesia (TII), which
\nranked Jakarta and the customs office most corrupt institutions.<\/p>\n
\"I don't care,\" was the simple response of Minister of Finance
\nYusuf Anwar, who oversees the customs service, on Thursday when
\ncommenting on the survey findings.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso said that the fact that
\nhis feif was the most corrupt city \"makes sense\".<\/p>\n
Speaking at the State Palace, Yusuf said, \"Just let it go. I
\ndon't care. All I care about are the improvements in governance
\nand oversight that are taking place. It is more important to try
\nto make an effort instead of trying to make the headlines.\" He
\nadded, \"The public do not see our efforts, but things are
\nimproving.<\/p>\n
\"TII can say what it likes as it is only looking for
\nheadlines,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Apart from the customs service, the finance ministry also
\noversees the tax service, which is named as the eleventh most
\ncorrupt institution in TII's list.<\/p>\n
Yusuf claimed that the amount of state funds lost to
\ncorruption was very small, pointing out that the issue was
\n\"exaggerated by certain parties\".<\/p>\n
Citing an example, he said only 2 percent of the country's
\nthree million taxpayers evaded paying taxes last year.<\/p>\n
\"The claim that 40 percent of the country's tax revenues are
\nembezzled is 'bullshit',\" Yusuf said, referring to median
\nestimates of state losses in the tax and customs services made by
\nobservers. \"We have done a lot in trying to create accountable
\nand transparent systems in the tax and customs services.\"<\/p>\n
\"The director of the taxation service has dismissed six
\nofficials so far this year for corruption. We have also improved
\nour supervision over the customs office at Tanjung Priok port,\"
\nhe added.<\/p>\n
The 2004 Indonesian Corruption Perception Index survey,
\nconducted between last October and December with 1,305 business
\nowners and top managers of local and multinational firms as
\nrespondents, revealed that the customs service had the highest
\nincidence of corrupt interactions at 62 percent.<\/p>\n
Some 140 respondents said they had to pay bribes to the
\ncustoms service approximately 31 times per year, with each bribe
\naveraging Rp 38 million (US4,086).<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso, meanwhile, said that with over 70 percent of the
\ncountry's economic transactions taking place in the capital city,
\nso \"it makes sense that most corruption cases took place here\".<\/p>\n
The survey, he argued, was not about corruption \"within the
\ncity administration\".<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso also believed that the survey might have selected the
\nwrong respondents.<\/p>\n
\"Take the city public works agency as an example. With
\nhundreds of projects being put out to tender, many businessmen
\nfail to win contracts. If they were to respond to the survey, of
\ncourse they will accuse the tender winners of bribery.\"<\/p>\n
The governor, who will end his second term in 2007, believed
\nthat his administration could curb corruption by cooperating with
\nthe Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in setting up a mail
\nbox for the public to file complaints as well as establishing a
\nregional ombudsman.<\/p>\n
The responses of the two officials were regretted by TII board
\nof directors member Todung Mulya Lubis.<\/p>\n
\"Those comments show the government's arrogance. They should
\nhave been ashamed (with the survey findings) instead of getting
\nangry,\" he said. \"The report reflects the business
\ncommunity's perceptions on corruption. The government should have
\nreflected on its performance.\"<\/p>\n
The noted lawyer reminded the government that the business
\ncommunity had yet to see any of the changes promised by the new
\ngovernment, including a renewed fight against corruption, the
\nresolving of high-profile disputes involving foreign investors,
\nimproved legal certainty and attracting more investment.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/i-dont-care-about-graft-report-minister-1447893297",
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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