'Corruption is still rife after Soeharto'

'Corruption is still rife after Soeharto'

Former president Soeharto quit on May 21, 1998, amid a chaotic
security and economic crisis after he had ruled for three
decades. His resignation led to the reform era, which, after six
years, many say has yet to rehabilitate the country's economy and
the nation's integrity. The Jakarta Post asked a few residents
their opinion about the changes that have occurred since then.

Boedi Indratama, 30, is an executive at a private company in
South Jakarta. He lives with his wife on Jl. Radio Dalam,
Gandaria, South Jakarta:

In the economic realm, there has been no change compared with
what existed when president Soeharto was in power, six years ago.

The difference is only that the people can now express their
opinion freely without fear of police arrest. Law enforcement is
also better now.

Corruption seems worse now. From media reports, we know that
more people are involved in corruption. I don't know whether this
shows an increase of corruption or simply that the media now have
the freedom to report it more openly.

Bonar Manahan Siahaan, 38, is an entrepreneur whose office is
in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta. He lives in Jl. Ampera, South
Jakarta, with his wife and 7-month-old son:

We now have freedom of the press, but no legal certainties
yet, so people have no trust in the government.

In West Sumatra, 48 councillors were recently found guilty of
graft. If the situation is that bad in the regions, what's it
like in the central government? Surely it must be worse!

If Soeharto had remained in power, the situation might have
been worse still. We would have received more short-term loans
from American bankers to finance investment and the money would
have gone straight into the pockets of Soeharto's circle.

Even though Soeharto has been out of power for six years, our
leaders still fear him. How can they not do so, when up to 70
percent of our politicians were made rich by Soeharto and
therefore indebted to him and his family? This kind of deep-
rooted behavior needs to be eliminated.

--The Jakarta Post