Get rid of rotten people

Get rid of rotten people

From Gatra

I fully support President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's drive to rid the Presidential Palace of those involved in corruption. In this regard, I hope the President is not halfhearted in eradicating corruption. This corruption eradication drive, unfortunately, has yet to touch a number of institutions allegedly riddled with corruption.

I hope the President is indiscriminate in his efforts to ensure his government is clean. The President's perception of corruption eradication is already quite comprehensive, but his assistants have yet to share this perception. In this context, the President must not consider the political risks he may run in taking action against corruption.

Those institutions where corruption is allegedly rife -- the Directorate General of Taxation, the Directorate General of Customs and Excise and the National Police -- are still untouchable in this anti-corruption drive. The President does not need to make any political calculations in overhauling these institutions because the political risks such a move would entail are low. The President can easily mobilize the masses to support his anti-corruption drive. It is time to mobilize good people and rid the country of bad and rotten people.

People must not expect too much from the anti-corruption drive in the short term. But the government must be consistent in its long-term fight against corruption and should not do anything that would be counterproductive for this drive.

Corruption can be eradicated not only by taking action against those involved in corruption, but also by preventing corruption itself from happening and improving the system. Broad bureaucratic reform is needed at this juncture. It is not only the personnel who must be replaced, but also the system.

The eradication of corruption can be successful only if it is coupled with joint action by the entire nation, namely the government, led by the President, supported by all Indonesians.

SANTI PUJI RAHAYU

Jakarta