Transparency is key to eliminating corruption: U.S. prosecutor<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Transparency and openness are the two keys to eradicate corrupt
\npractices in government offices, visiting United States Federal
\nProsecutor Patrick Donley says.<\/p>\n
"Corruption is a serious problem in our country, we can reduce
\nor eliminate it by making the government more transparent and
\nmore open to the people," Donley said on Friday.<\/p>\n
Speaking after the closing ceremony of a three-day training
\nfor Indonesian prosecutors, he said that public participation was
\nvital in reducing corruption.<\/p>\n
He also said that Indonesia was on the right track in
\ncombating the crime, but the legal apparatus had much to learn
\nabout the new anticorruption regulations.<\/p>\n
"I think one of the biggest problems is the newness of some of
\nthe laws," Donley said.<\/p>\n
"They don't have the experience using these laws to bring
\npoliticians and corrupt government officials before the judges.
\nThat will come with time," he added.<\/p>\n
Donley also praised the establishment of an anticorruption
\ncommission in Indonesia, saying that such a commission would be a
\nmilestone in the fight against graft here.<\/p>\n
Donley, along with U.S. public defenders John Chamble and
\nAndrew Mohring and paralegal Sumi Nakashi were in the country to
\ngive a seminar on criminal fraud and corruption.<\/p>\n
The three-day seminar, funded by the U.S. government, was
\nattended by prosecutors from the Attorney General's Office and
\nseveral officials from the National Police.<\/p>\n
At the closing ceremony, U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Ralph L.
\nBoyce said that the success of anticorruption efforts required
\nunwavering commitment on the part of the government as well as
\nsupport and confidence of the people.<\/p>\n
"The great challenge facing each of the legal apparatus is to
\nmeet the expectations of the Indonesian people and to gain their
\ntrust and confidence," Boyce said.<\/p>\n
He stressed that without the confidence of the people, the
\nvigilante would continue, as the rule of law was the only thing
\nthat stands between order and anarchy.<\/p>\n
"To maintain order and ensure justice in a democracy, justice
\nsector institutions must perform in a transparent manner so as to
\ngarner the public's trust," the ambassador said.<\/p>\n
According to a recent report from International Transparency,
\nIndonesia ranks as the 10th most corrupt country in the world,
\nwith Kenya in 9th place and the most corrupt nation cited as
\nBangladesh.<\/p>\n
The country is currently waiting for the establishment of the
\nanticorruption commission, which will have the authority to
\ninvestigate and prosecute graft offenders.<\/p>\n
Boyce said that corruption should be stopped as it scared off
\nforeign investors and had wide implications both socially and
\neconomically.<\/p>",
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