Mega ripped for blaming corruption on human rights<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post,
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Human rights activists criticized President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri for using human rights as an excuse to allow
\ncorruption to flourish in the country.<\/p>\n
\"Efforts to combat corruption and possible human rights
\nviolations are two different things. Concerns of possible rights
\nviolation is out of question if law enforcers abide by the law,\"
\nnoted lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis said on Friday.<\/p>\n
He asserted that \"nobody's rights will be violated\" as long as
\nthe government upheld existing laws and prosecuted alleged
\ncorruptors in line with the due process of law.<\/p>\n
Indonesia actually enacted an anticorruption law in 1999,
\nwhich provides a maximum sentence of death for convicted
\ncorruptors.<\/p>\n
Todung, one of the country's most highly respected rights
\nactivists, expressed concern that the President's remarks might
\nindicate her reluctance to combat corruption and confuse legal
\nenforcement with tough actions against alleged corruptors.<\/p>\n
\"In a paternalistic society like Indonesia, any statement
\nspelled out by the leader will be regarded as a policy.<\/p>\n
I think Megawati has shown too much wariness in combating
\nrampant corruption and indeed we can not be too optimistic that
\nit will be rectified,\" he told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Separately, the deputy chairman of the National Commission of
\nHuman Rights (Komnas HAM), Salahuddin Wahid, questioned
\nMegawati's commitment on corruption issues here.<\/p>\n
\"If she opposes the death sentence for corruptors, she could
\njust impose a life sentence without parole instead,\" while adding
\nthat Megawati had rejected a request for clemency from death-row
\ndrug convicts recently. She also did not complain about the death
\nsentences handed down to the Bali bombers recently.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, Megawati asked people not to compare her
\nadministration's action against corruptors with the ways in which
\nother countries, particularly China which has used its death
\npenalty for many corruption cases.<\/p>\n
She said she feared that if she acted against corruption it
\nwould be a violation of human rights to impose a death sentence
\nfor major corrupters, many of whom have been blamed for dragging
\nthe nation into the current crisis.<\/p>\n
The government has come under fire for failing to address the
\ndemand to eradicate widespread corruption, which was a major
\nobjective of the reform movement that led to the downfall of New
\nOrder authoritarian regime, which was strongly associated with
\ncorruption, collusion and nepotism.<\/p>\n
Many observers have said corruption has become more rampant
\nand open than ever before as it has reached epidemic proportions
\nin almost all state institutions, including the legislative,
\njudicial and government bodies.<\/p>\n
The Berlin-based Transparency International (TI) recently
\nrated Indonesia again among the most corrupt countries in the
\nworld.<\/p>\n
Most high-profile corruption suspects have been given lenient
\nsentences or simply acquitted of all charges. In some cases law
\nenforcers have allegedly looked the other way and allowed
\nconvicted corrupters to flee the country.<\/p>\n
Megawati herself made a very unpopular move in the country's
\ndrive against corruption by defying widespread public demand for
\nAttorney General M.A. Rachman's suspension after the Public
\nOfficials Wealth Audit Commission found a serious problem with
\nsome of his assets.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mega-ripped-for-blaming-corruption-on-human-rights-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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