Officials' wealth<\/p>\n
The statement made to the press by the Minister of
\nTransmigration on requiring state officials to reveal their
\nwealth before and after assuming their posts to find out whether
\nor not they are \"clean\" during their tenure is a progressive
\nstatement from a state official.<\/p>\n
Amid the prevailing atmosphere of corruption, a statement of
\nthis sort shows good intention toward the realization of a clean
\nand authoritative government. But concrete steps toward the
\nrealization of this idea should be taken or else this excellent
\nidea will disappear into thin air as a mere slogan.<\/p>\n
First, the structure of corruption in Indonesia must be
\nunderstood as being rooted in a business patronage relationship.
\nHistorically, this must be observed from the process of the
\ngrowth of the state. Business relations between officials and
\nwould-be entrepreneurs and businesspeople enjoying the facilities
\nand protection from the government are characterized by
\npatronage.<\/p>\n
Officials serve as patrons facilitating and protecting
\nbusinesspeople who are building their empires by providing the
\nlatter with easy access to licenses, contracts, loans, market
\nprotection and monopoly. In return, the officials concerned will
\nget material compensation in the form of corporate shares for the
\nservices they extend out of their political positions. It may be
\nsaid that these businesses are financed by the state.<\/p>\n
Second, to ensure that corruption runs smoothly in the
\npatronage pattern, the government has inculcated among the
\nbureaucratic ranks the culture of being loyal to one particular
\ngroup. It is here that these bureaucratic ranks open up the way
\ntoward a corruptive bureaucracy. It is therefore no wonder that
\ncorruption has touched all levels, from the processing of
\ndocuments at the neighborhood association (RT) level to the
\nhighest level of bureaucracy, including deposits to ministers'
\nprivate bank accounts. In such an atmosphere, the anticorruption
\nlaw (Law No. 3\/1971), presidential decree No. 52\/1970 on the
\nregistration of officials' wealth and various other laws are
\npowerless and ineffective.<\/p>\n
Third, corruption in Indonesia cannot only be considered a
\nlegal violation. Corruption must also be considered a political
\nand economic matter. Therefore, regarding Minister Siswono's
\nstatement that the announcement of an official's wealth can
\nsimply rely on the commitment of the official concerned, this
\nconstitutes a minimum effort. Existing legal instruments and
\nvarious control and supervision agencies have failed to touch
\ncorruption, particularly on a large-scale, let alone the
\ncommitment of the officials concerned.<\/p>\n
Fourth, with respect to Minister Siswono's statement that what
\ncounts is the morality and ethics of the officials concerned,
\nthese two aspects are not enough if we consider the context in
\nwhich the corruptive structure and climate find themselves
\nworking. As for morality, much has been fed our way such as the
\nmoral value of Pancasila which has been inculcated in the minds
\nof elementary schoolchildren. Nevertheless, corruption is
\nspreading and growing fast.<\/p>\n
Even the Ministry of Religious Affairs -- an official
\ninstitution where morality and faith are nurtured -- cannot
\nescape sharp criticism and protests lodged by the community in
\nthe case of haj pilgrimage management. Within the context of
\nloyalty to one particular group, it is the loyalty of bureaucracy
\nat lower levels to their superiors that has hampered efforts to
\neradicate corrupt practices and the enforcement of lofty
\nmorality. Things will go from bad to worse with the presence of
\nwhat Minister Siswono has called the lack of transparency in
\nrevealing facts.<\/p>\n
Corruption in Indonesia is a political and economic matter.
\nThe eradication of corruption cannot simply depend on improving
\nand supplementing the existing legal instruments or enforcing
\nlofty morality as this will require a comprehensive political
\nreform drive to cleanse the entire ranks of the New Order
\nbureaucracy. This political reform means giving the community a
\ngreater role in politics so they may take part in controlling the
\nrunning of the government's bureaucracy. This means that control
\nshould not be top-down in nature, as has been exercised so far,
\nbut must be bottom-up, allowing the community to run the
\nmechanism of control.<\/p>\n
HENDARDI<\/p>\n
Executive Director of PBHI<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/officials-wealth-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }