Four win Bung Hatta Anti-Corruption Award
A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Four people won on Monday the Bung Hatta Anti-Corruption Award for their relentless dedication to the fight against corruption.
Karaniya Dharmasaputra, the managing editor of Tempo weekly news magazine, won in the civil society category; Erry Riyana Hardjapamengkas, former president director of PT Timah Tbk, won in the business category; Mohammad Yamin, the head of the Attorney General's Office's Training and Education Center, and Syamsul Qomar, a judge at the Langsa District Court in East Aceh, Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, both won in the government category.
The award, the first of its kind in the country and named after the nation's first vice president, Mohammad Hatta, was conferred by a non-profit foundation, the Bung Hatta Anti- Corruption Award Association. The late Bung, or uncle, Hatta was known for his high degree of integrity, honesty and commitment to anticorruption.
During a decidedly low key ceremony held at the Gallery Cafe in Central Jakarta, jury member Betty Alisjahbana announced the winners of the award. She was flanked by Teten Masduki, a co- founder of the 15-member association.
The four winners were shortlisted and selected by a nine- member jury from various backgrounds: Antonius Sujata, the chairman of the National Ombudsman Commission, Betty Alisjahbana, the president director of PT IBM Indonesia, Humayunbosha Somiadiredja, the president director of PT Caltex Pacific Indonesia, Komaruddin Hidayat, a senior lecturer, and Faisal H. Basri, a member of the Business Competition Supervisory Committee, Tini Hadad, a non-governmental organization (NGO) senior activist, Harkristuti Harkrisnowo, a member of the National Legal Commission, Nini K. Maramis, a former lecturer and Fred B.G. Tumbuan and a member of the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency's (IBRA) Oversight Committee.
The jury chose Karaniya Dharmasaputra for his work and dedication in combating corruption in society via his work in the media. He was the journalist who broke the story on the scandal involving the disbursement of more than Rp 40 billion (US$ 4.7 million) in State Logistic Agency (Bulog) money to poor people. The scandal implicated Golkar Party chairman Akbar Tandjung.
Erry Riyana was chosen for his pioneering work in introducing good corporate governance to the local business community.
Mohammad Yamin won the award for his integrity in combating corruption. One of the big cases he handled was a Rp 1 trillion corruption case involving businessman Eddie Tanzil.
Judge Syamsul Qomar won the award for his firm stance in dealing with corruption, as demonstrated by his demands for a life sentence for several defendants in corruption cases in his native Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam.