Dutch govt queries RI commitment to quashing corruption

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Dutch government has openly questioned the commitment of the Indonesian government to eradicate corruption, citing the country's unwillingness to establish the anticorruption commission mandated by the law.

The Netherlands Minister for Development Cooperation Van Ardenne said during a press conference here on Wednesday that the anticorruption commission should become operational immediately to ensure the continuation of the reform agenda.

She said the case was an example of the poor implementation of a law in Indonesia, because nothing was wrong with the legislation.

"I am disappointed that there are standstills in Indonesia's reform," she said after a seminar organized by the Partnership for Governance Reform.

One of the reform agenda items on the priority list after the fall of Soeharto in May 1998 was the eradication of corruption, collusion and nepotism, locally known as KKN, which were rampant under the long-time ruler, but have reportedly gotten worse under the current regime.

Ardenne said she had asked the Coordinating Minister for the Economy Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Jakti why they could not overcome the obstacles to establishing the anticorruption commission.

"Pak Dorodjatun told me that the problem had to do with the people who have been proposed, specifically their integrity, to sit on the commission," she said.

To solve that problem, she suggested that civil society groups, including the Partnership for Governance Reform, should propose people who would be credible for the commission.

She added that it was now time for the Dutch government to consider ways to urge Indonesia to fight corruption, "but we have not yet come to the conclusion that we have to stop our assistance."

Indonesia currently ranks among the most corrupt countries in the world.

Law No. 30/2002 on the Anticorruption Commission stipulates that the commission will have full power to investigate and prosecute corruptors.

Under the law, the anticorruption commission must be established by the end of this year.

At present, investigation into corruption cases is conducted by the police, while the prosecution is conducted by state prosecutors.

Many corruption cases end at those offices, But even if the cases go to court, judges here are likely to acquit the suspects.

Executive director of the Partnership for Governance Reform H.S. Dillon shared Ardenne's view.

He said that although the deadline to form the commission was fast approaching, there was still no sign that the government was making any moves to establish even a selection committee.

"We need the president's approval to form the selection commission. Without it, the law will be practically useless," he said.

He emphasized that his organization was ready to help the government immediately establish the much-awaited commission.

Several names, he added, such as highly respected lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis had been nominated for the committee, so there was no reason for the government to delay the process any longer.