Susilo puts the squeeze on corruption<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta, Nusa Dua, Bali<\/p>\n
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has repeated his promise to
\nseriously fight corruption at all levels of both state and
\nprivate institutions, establishing a special team to strengthen
\nand speed up his antigraft drive.<\/p>\n
\"Once the anticorruption wheels and machine runs, (it must)
\nnever stop,\" he said in Jakarta on Wednesday after inaugurating
\nthe team, which is led by Deputy Attorney General for special
\ncrimes Hendarman Supandji.<\/p>\n
The team, called the Coordinating Team for Corruption
\nEradication, was established under Presidential Decree No.
\n11\/2005, and comprised prosecutors, police officials and state
\nauditors.<\/p>\n
Earlier on Wednesday, Susilo told the opening of the 15th
\nInter-Pacific Bar Association Conference in Nusa Dua, Bali, that
\nhe would enforce the rule of law in combating corruption and
\nbringing to justice anyone involved in corrupt practices.<\/p>\n
\"There will be no more room for corruption. Not anymore. The
\ntime has come to deal seriously with corruption, which has
\nbrought so many problems to the country,\" he said before more
\nthan 500 lawyers and legal practitioners from 40 countries at the
\nfive-day conference.<\/p>\n
Susilo said his government would not only focus on improving
\nmacroeconomic conditions in the country, but also social and
\nsecurity conditions.<\/p>\n
\"Our main priority is to build a good legal framework and to
\nenforce the rule of law in order to create legal certainty in the
\ncountry and build good governance.<\/p>\n
\"You (lawyers) have to play a significant role in the fight
\nagainst corruption. You are also important agents in creating a
\njust and prosperous society,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Susilo said last week his government was ready to begin
\ntackling the problem of corruption, starting with his own office.<\/p>\n
The government will soon audit the Office of the President,
\nthe Office of the Vice President, the Office of the Cabinet
\nSecretary and the Office of the State Secretary, as well as their
\nfoundations.<\/p>\n
Last year, Susilo issued a Presidential Instruction to
\naccelerate the national anticorruption campaign. However, he has
\nadmitted that the drive has thus far borne little fruit.<\/p>\n
The President had also reached an agreement with the Attorney
\nGeneral, the National Police, the Corruption Eradication
\nCommission (KPK), the Anti-Money Laundering Center (PPATK) and
\nNational Ombudsman to meet once a month to coordinate and
\nsynchronize the antigraft movement.<\/p>\n
The government has also set up a team consisting of
\nprosecutors, police officers, State Audit Body (BPK) officials,
\nand those from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to hunt graft
\nsuspects and convicts who fled abroad.<\/p>\n
The team, labeled the \"Swindler's Hunting Team\", was initiated
\nand is led by Vice President Jusuf Kalla.<\/p>\n
Cabinet Secretary Sudi Silalahi claimed the establishment of
\nthe new team would not overlap with other antigraft teams or
\ncommissions, such as KPK.<\/p>\n
During Wednesday's opening session of the Bali conference that
\nhad the theme \"Getting it Right in the New Asia: The Rule of Law
\nin Regional Economic Development\", Andrew Steer, country director
\nfor the World Bank in Indonesia, said economic development had
\nfundamentally changed.<\/p>\n
For the past 25 years, the stress had been on macroeconomic,
\ntrade and investment development.<\/p>\n
\"Now it has changed drastically,\" Steer said. \"Asian countries
\nhave experienced rapid progress in macroeconomic conditions,
\nsocial sectors and many others.\"<\/p>\n
\"But these countries have done poorly in building good
\ngovernance and in the enforcement of the rule of law,\" he said,
\nadding that good policies were not sustainable without
\nimplementing laws to promote economic development.<\/p>\n
Jusuf Wanandi, executive director of the Centre for Strategic
\nand International Studies, said that over the past 30 years
\neconomic development in Indonesia had been built on \"fragile\"
\neconomic and political grounds.<\/p>\n
During the New Order regime of Soeharto, the judicial system
\nwas marginalized. When the regime ended, Soeharto's political and
\neconomical stability crumbled overnight, he said.<\/p>\n
\"It is urgent to establish legal certainty to regain
\ninternational trust and to draw back investment to the country,\"
\nJusuf said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/susilo-puts-the-squeeze-on-corruption-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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