Killing corruption to aid nation<\/p>\n
The allegation of corruption in the Ministry of Transportation
\nhas made recent headlines. Law expert Charles Himawan looks at
\nthe issue from a broader perspective.<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Cynical observers have described Indonesia's
\nprogress as \"development with an envelope\", stuffed with money,
\nor \"devlope\", short for development hand in hand with corruption.<\/p>\n
In an unprecedented move, President Soeharto recently called
\non the Minister of Transportation to be introspective. This most
\nrefined reproach was made in the wake of a leaked report that the
\nminister has amassed a mountain of wealth in the past year from
\n392 violations involving 18 state enterprises.<\/p>\n
This means more than one violation, a euphemism for
\ncorruption, per day. Much like a staple food, the \"violations\"
\nwere a daily necessity. A proper investigation in accordance with
\nIndonesia's constitution is currently underway, but corruption is
\nalways difficult to prove.<\/p>\n
In the first place, few subordinates are willing to point the
\nfinger at a government official on the take, especially those
\nwhose livelihood is at stake. Leaders of the business community
\nmust eradicate this type of \"devlope\", where hidden costs are
\nsimply passed on to the consumer. This is only possible if they
\nbase their decision making process on the 1945 Constitution,
\nwhich aims for a clean government. Labor unions must also strive
\nto eradicate \"devlope\". This will make it possible for employers
\nto transfer the invisible costs of corruption to the visible
\ncosts of higher salaries.<\/p>\n
Secondly, all accusations must be supported by evidence.
\nMinister Moerdiono rightly warns us to uphold the principle of
\n\"innocent until proven guilty\" in our quest for a clean
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
Most are reluctant to take legal action in the face of
\ncorruption due to little legal certainty. Perhaps this reluctance
\ncould be minimized if the judiciary had the reputation of the
\njudicial system in Singapore, which is ranked first among ASEAN
\ncountries in terms of legal satisfaction. Failing this,
\nMalaysia's judiciary system, which is ranked second -- though
\nperhaps unjustifiably -- could also be used as an example.<\/p>\n
Employers and employees must make their demands for a clean
\ngovernment. If they do not, they will continue to face
\nunreasonably high production costs and unreasonably low labor
\nwages. Higher wages will help stimulate workers to be more
\nefficient, making the goods produced more competitive on the
\nmarket.<\/p>\n
A clean government will have a direct effect on Indonesia's
\nsuccess within the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation business
\nenvironment. The President has already restructured the cabinet
\nby combining the ministries of trade and industry into one
\nministry, a model similar to the Japanese ministry of trade and
\nindustry, or MITI. Less bureaucracy means less possibility of
\ncorruption.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's export performance, a possible indicator of a
\nnation's prosperity, in the last two decades may be a cause for
\nconcern, especially compared to Malaysia and Thailand. In 1985,
\nIndonesia's export revenues amounted to US$18.5 billion compared
\nto Malaysia's $15.4 billion and Thailand's $7.1 billion. In 1995
\nthe two neighboring countries are far ahead of Indonesia's $40.1
\nbillion, particularly Malaysia ($65.2 billion).<\/p>\n
Eradicating violations in the export sector would allow the
\njudiciary to prove itself, its ability and its commitment to a
\nclean government. The Supreme Court has already started in the
\nright direction in the case of Tamin Sukardi.<\/p>\n
For, as the Austrian satirist Karl Kraus (1874--1936) once
\nsaid, \"Corruption is worse than prostitution. The latter might
\nendanger the morals of an individual, but the former invariably
\nendanger the morals of an entire country.\"<\/p>\n
The writer is a professor of law and economics at the
\nUniversity of Indonesia and a member of the National Commission
\non Human Rights.<\/p>",
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