{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1491249,
        "msgid": "integrity-is-all-they-have-1447893297",
        "date": "2004-05-28 00:00:00",
        "title": "Integrity is all they have",
        "author": null,
        "source": "JP",
        "tags": null,
        "topic": null,
        "summary": "Integrity is all they have Appreciation and admiration should go to the panel of judges at the state court in Padang, West Sumatra, who handed down unprecedented guilty verdicts on May 18 to 43 provincial councillors for graft. They were given jail terms of between 24 and 37 months. These verdicts imply that there is hope for the law being enforced in the country.",
        "content": "<p>Integrity is all they have<\/p>\n<p>Appreciation and admiration should go to the panel of judges<br>\nat the state court in Padang, West Sumatra, who handed down<br>\nunprecedented guilty verdicts on May 18 to 43 provincial<br>\ncouncillors for graft. They were given jail terms of between 24<br>\nand 37 months. These verdicts imply that there is hope for the<br>\nlaw being enforced in the country.<\/p>\n<p>The bravery of the panel of judges was, to a certain extent,<br>\ndue to their possession of integrity, meaning they are honest and<br>\nfirm in their moral principles, by which they knew the<br>\ncouncillors' behavior was not right, proper or acceptable.<\/p>\n<p>Tragically, these particular events happened in a society<br>\nwhich bases its daily life on religious and customary symbols<br>\nthat literally say custom is based on sharia and sharia is based<br>\non God's book.<\/p>\n<p>There are those who honor these religious and customary<br>\nsymbols, and there are those who do not. The latter were  given<br>\n\"God's punishment\" through the aforementioned court verdict.<\/p>\n<p>The \"successful\" law enforcement in Padang could actually set<br>\nan example for other regions, as there is ample evidence of graft<br>\ninvolving regional councillors. The root cause of the problem,<br>\nprosecution not withstanding, lies primarily in the<br>\nimplementation of Law No. 22\/1999 on regional autonomy.<\/p>\n<p>In the past three years, the imposition of the law has created<br>\n\"little rulers\" (The Jakarta Post, May 19) both at the provincial<br>\nand regency levels. Loopholes in articles 19\/1\/G, 21\/2 and 29\/5<br>\nthat give councillors the right to determine their own budgets<br>\nhave been used accordingly to give themselves tremendously high<br>\nsalaries and generous retirement funds.<\/p>\n<p>With a revision of the regional autonomy law and a number of<br>\nother laws high on the agenda of the House of Representatives<br>\nbefore its term ends in October, it is likely the loopholes will<br>\nbe addressed. It is expected the revised law will implant a<br>\nstrong sense of integrity among law making bodies and law<br>\nenforcers, and create better governance.<\/p>\n<p>M. RUSDI<br>\nJakarta<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/integrity-is-all-they-have-1447893297",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}