'Indonesian law toothles against corruption'<\/p>\n
ID Nugroho and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post,
\nSurabaya\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Nahdlatul Ulama chairman Hasyim Muzadi called for a moral
\nmovement to eradicate corruption because the law had proven
\ntoothless.<\/p>\n
\"Our law no longer has the courage, therefore corruption
\neradication must begin with a moral movement,\" Hasyim said during
\na press conference at the Al-Hikam boarding school he runs in
\nMalang, East Java.<\/p>\n
The conference precedes the planned declaration on Monday of a
\nnational anticorruption movement spearheaded by NU and
\nMuhammadiyah, the country's two largest Muslim organizations.<\/p>\n
\"A synergy between moral and legal movements will result in a
\nsystem which will give birth to clean leaders. We expect only the
\nclean to be elected in 2004,\" Hasyim said.<\/p>\n
He said the moral movement would encourage people to avoid any
\nform of corruption, such as giving \"presents\" to state officials.<\/p>\n
Playing down any political motives behind the movement, Hasyim
\nasserted the anticorruption campaign was not meant to discredit
\nany certain political party or the government.<\/p>\n
Corruption, collusion and nepotism were blamed for the
\neconomic crisis that hit the country in 1997, which led to the
\nreform movement and regime change.<\/p>\n
However, many critics accuse the new regime of failing to
\nclean up the country, with corruptors remaining undeterred as
\nthey take advantage of weak law enforcement.<\/p>\n
Loopholes in Indonesian law have allow many convicted
\ncorrupters to remain free or to receive light sentences, injuring
\nthe people's sense of justice.<\/p>\n
Underlining their concern with corruption in the country, both
\nNU and Muhammadiyah, which have 70 million members between them,
\nsaid the movement would only work with the complete backing of
\nthe entire nation.<\/p>\n
\"With the declaration (of the movement), we wish to clear all
\nthe stumbling blocks to our efforts to eradicate corruption and
\nbring the corruptors to justice,\" Hasyim said.<\/p>\n
The declaration will take place on Monday at the Al-Hikam
\nboarding school.<\/p>\n
State Minister for National Development Planning Kwik Kian
\nGie, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Rokhmin Dahuri,
\nIndonesian Communion of Churches deputy chairman Rev. Yewanggoe
\nand Roeslan Abdul Gani are scheduled to attend the declaration in
\na show of support.<\/p>\n
The launch of the moral movement follows a memorandum of
\nunderstanding signed on Oct. 15 by NU, Muhammadiyah and
\nfacilitator the Partnership for Government Reform.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Bishops Council, representing the Catholic
\nchurch, has declared its support for the anticorruption movement
\nand will issue an election guide asking Catholics to vote for
\npoliticians untainted by corruption.<\/p>\n
As part of the movement, NU and Muhammadiyah will draw up
\nguidelines for their followers in dealing with corruption and
\nimpose moral sanctions against any members involved in
\ncorruption.<\/p>\n
To lead by example, the two organizations will adopt open
\nmanagement to ensure transparency and accountability.<\/p>\n
Hasyim criticized President Megawati Soekarnoputri for her
\nreluctance to take harsh measures against corruption because, as
\nshe has said, she does not want to be accused of human rights
\nviolations.<\/p>\n
\"Corrupters themselves are human rights abusers. Law
\nenforcement officials should have no hesitation in taking tough
\naction,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Muhammadiyah chairman Syafii Maarif said that as part of the
\nmoral movement, the organization would introduce an annual
\ninternal audit that would also apply to all legal entities under
\nMuhammadiyah.<\/p>\n
\"To uphold public accountability, we will assign a public
\naccountant to do the audit,\" Syafii told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
\"For our members, should they be found involved in corruption,
\nthey will be dismissed from Muhammadiyah.\"<\/p>",
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