'Corruption rampant in courts, police, govt'
Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The lack of political will to combat corruption has once again positioned Indonesia as one of the most corrupt countries in the world, anticorruption activists say.
Quoting a survey released by the Berlin-based Transparency International (TI) on Tuesday, Emmy Hafild said Indonesia was the second most corrupt country in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) after Myanmar, and the third in Asia after Bangladesh and Myanmar.
Globally, Indonesia, together with Kenya, ranked sixth with a Corruption Perception Index of 1.9, with the highest or cleanest score being 10.
Last year Indonesia ranked fourth among 122 countries surveyed with a corruption index of 1.9. "There is no improvement as the rank rises due to the increase in the number of countries surveyed," she added. A total of 133 countries were surveyed from June 2002 through June 2003.
Emmy Hafild, who is also the secretary-general of Transparency International (TI) Indonesia, called on the public, civil society groups, and the mass media to use the upcoming general elections to embark on an anticorruption campaign.
Indonesia is scheduled to hold a legislative election in April 2004 and two-stage direct presidential elections in July and September 2004.
The TI report was based on 13 surveys conducted by various groups, including the Partnership for Governance Reform in Indonesia, Asian Development Bank, World Bank, Hong Kong-based Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC), Transparency International, and Gallup International.
The surveys, conducted between June last year and June this year, involved businessmen, academics, expatriates and ordinary people.
The 1.9 score represents an average, ranging from 0.7 at the worst to 2.9 at the best based on the surveys conducted here. TI gives 1 point for the most corrupt country and 10 points for the cleanest country.
According to Emmy, corruption was still rampant in the courts and police force in the form of bribery and blackmail, and in the general procurement of government and military supplies in the forms of embezzlement of state funds and kickbacks.
Corruption was also committed by members of the House of Representatives and political parties through the practice of money politics, Emmy said.
Emmy praised the recent National Anti-Bribery Movement announced by businessmen grouped in the Indonesian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
"But unfortunately, the government has not given a good response to the movement," she added.
TI Indonesia chairman Erry Riyana Hardjapamekas, who recently received the Bung Hatta Anticorruption Award, said corruption had grown worse as the country's leaders had failed to set good examples.
"We need continued efforts to fight corruption," said Erry, who is a former president of publicly-listed company, PT Timah.
TI Indonesia supervisory board chairman Todung Mulya Lubis said combating corruption in the country required a powerful institution.
"I hoped the planned Corruption Eradication Commission will be a powerful body. It's our last chance for combating corruption," said Todung, who is also a member of the team in charge of selecting members of the commission.
He said the selection committee had agreed on Monday to invite non-governmental organizations such as Indonesian Corruption Watch and Government Watch to nominate candidates for the commission.
"We have received 32 candidates' names, but we hope for more from these organizations," he said, while refusing to divulge who the 32 candidates were.