Analyst: Lenient Penalties Leave Local Leaders Undeterred by Corruption

Herdiansyah Hamzah, a researcher at the Anti-Corruption Studies Centre (SAKSI) of Mulawarman University, says the prevalence of corruption cases involving regional heads stems from a lack of deterrence in law enforcement. He argues that low sentences are the main reason officials are not deterred from engaging in corrupt practices. The man known as Castro says the penalties for corruption, particularly in bribery and the procurement of goods and services, are so light that the law loses its bite. ‘Deterrent effect is not built because sanctions are still very low. If the sanctions are low, there cannot be a deterrent effect for the perpetrators,’ he told reporters on Wednesday (4/3). Castro highlights the procurement of goods and services as the sector that remains the entry point for regional heads to commit corruption. Recently, Pekalongan Regent Fadia Arafiq was arrested by the KPK for involvement in procurement corruption within the regency government. He says this sector is the most vulnerable because it can easily be manipulated for private business interests or groups. Procurement projects are often used by regional heads to recoup political capital spent during elections. ‘The best way for corruptors, especially elected local leaders, to recover their political capital is through procurement—whether via markup or other dishonest acts. This is what actually happens,’ he said. He believes this situation will keep repeating itself unless there is a significant change in the severity of penalties. The absence of sanctions that have a financial or social traumatising effect makes public office still seen as a business opportunity. ‘There is a kind of situation where these things keep happening because, as I said, there is no deterrent effect due to sanctions not being heavy enough,’ he said. The Ministry of Home Affairs is pushing for an evaluation of political recruitment and the pilkada system to curb recurring corruption among local leaders, even as supervision tightens. Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Bima Arya cited that 500 local heads have been implicated in corruption since 2005 and urged evaluation of the pilkada process and digitalisation to curb corrupt practices. APIP should be able to detect early discriminatory tender requirements. Regional leaders must consistently uphold the people’s mandate and not seek loopholes that would damage public trust. Addressing the corruption chain involving local heads cannot be achieved through a single policy. Wana Alamsyah notes that weak anti-corruption efforts are evident in the recurrence of cases, particularly those involving local leaders. APH involved in corruption should be given much heavier sanctions than civilians. Puan Maharani also urged evaluation of mechanisms within the military environment to prevent senior-on-junior violence from recurring.