BNI scandal

BNI scandal

The public outcry following the shocking allegations (or
discovery, if you will) of a scam at state bank BNI involving a
fictitious letter of credit for about Rp 2 trillion, masterminded
by a group of the bank's officials in collusion with some its
clients, has been audible in every corner of the country:
Somebody must be hanged for it!

Already, 22 accomplices have been detained and interrogated.
Corruption watchdogs are getting impatient to see whether police
investigations into the scandal are serious this time
and whether those found having connections in one way or another
with it will be punished, as the minister overseeing the
Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (BPPN) sounded hawkish when
he indicated that nobody would escape justice, "to serve as a
lesson for similar cases in the future." He failed to mention,
though, that most people are incorrigible when it comes to having
a corrupt mentality.

Meanwhile, the media have been quick to conclude that some of
the money has found its way into the coffers of individuals
belonging to a "mafia" related to the 2004 general elections,
supposedly free of money politics, at least in theory.

However, the public are generally pessimistic that those
responsible for the crime will get their just desserts. Everybody
knows the road map to justice in this country is not only
slippery but also full of loopholes, so that smart lawyers can
erect obstacles in defense of the accused. There is no reason to
suspect that the police, and later, judges, confronted by such a
sudden and serious test case will play a part in another game if
morally they think they need to lift their image and keep their
consciences clear.

Personally, I'm convinced that sooner or later somebody
involved in the scandal will be hanged.

GANDHI SUKARDI
Jakarta