More people support the call to arrest big corruptors<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto and I Wayan Juniartha, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Religious leaders and legislators on Friday voiced their
\nsupport for an influential Muslim leader's call for the
\ngovernment to arrest big corruptors and confiscate their wealth.
\nOne respected legislator even called the demand the true voice of
\nthe Indonesian people.<\/p>\n
Hasyim Muzadi, the chairman of the country's largest Muslim
\norganization, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), made the call for the arrest
\nof corruptors at a meeting with President Megawati Soekarnoputri
\non Thursday night.<\/p>\n
Strong support for the demand came from the Ahmad Syafii
\nMaarif, chairman of the country's second largest Muslim
\norganization, Muhammadiyah.<\/p>\n
\"I support Pak Muzadi's statement. I have held the opinion for
\na long time that the government should force the heads of major
\nconglomerates to pay back the money they robbed from the state,\"
\nSyafii told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Hasyim conveyed his views to Megawati at the latter's
\nresidence on Jl. Teuku Umar. Just a few hours before the meeting,
\nHasyim hosted a meeting of religious leaders to respond to the
\ncontinuing protests against utility price hikes.<\/p>\n
Syafii, however, denied speculation that the statement made by
\nHasyim after meeting with Megawati represented the views of other
\nreligious leaders.<\/p>\n
\"No, there is no such common view, but I agreed with Pak
\n(Hasyim) Muzadi that we should force the big business tycoons to
\nreturn the people's money,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Syafii stressed that the big debtors were among those
\nresponsible for the country's economic collapse.<\/p>\n
Therefore, he said that it was a mistake for the government to
\nburden the people by increasing utility charges to cover this
\nunpaid debt. Instead of burdening the people, the government
\nshould pursue these debtors to pay their debts.<\/p>\n
However, it would require a strong political will on the part
\nof the government and legislators at the House to punish
\nuncooperative debtors and to confiscate their assets.<\/p>\n
Separately, legislator J.E. Sahetapy from the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), expressed
\npessimism that the government and the House would have the
\ncourage to force big debtors to pay all their debts.<\/p>\n
He contended that most public officials still possessed the
\nsame corrupt mentality of the previous administrations.<\/p>\n
\"I agree wholeheartedly with Pak Muzadi's statement. In fact,
\nI have held the same opinion for a long time. I believe that
\nstrong and consistent law enforcement is the first step our
\ncountry must take in order to achieve progress,\" he asserted.<\/p>\n
\"But now, the people have already been deeply disappointed. I
\nthink that the President has been a bit insensitive in this
\nmatter,\" Sahetapy, who claimed that his views were often in
\nconflict with those of his own party, led by Megawati.<\/p>\n
Separately, Aisyah Amini, a legislator from the United
\nDevelopment Party (PPP), said that the government should not take
\nthe easy way out by increasing telephone and electricity charges
\nas well as fuel prices in an effort to cover the budget deficit.<\/p>\n
\"Pak Muzadi's statement represents the voice of the people,\"
\nshe said.<\/p>\n
Collecting money from the debtors, she added, is an
\nalternative that should be taken by the government.<\/p>\n
\"I interpret Pak Muzadi's statement as a call to the
\ngovernment to work harder, instead of dumping all the burden on
\nthe shoulders of the people,\" Amini said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/more-people-support-the-call-to-arrest-big-corruptors-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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