'Corruption rampant in courts, police, govt'

'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.