Gift parcels

Gift parcels

From Koran Tempo

In the context of bolstering the establishment of clean governance, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has issued an appeal that government officials do not receive gift packages. This appeal has received a mixed reaction from the public.

Talking about gifts, we must consider the following: * Whether one is sending a gift parcel to someone they know; * Whether a gift is sent with a certain motive; * Whether the recipient knows the motive; * That there are particular occasions when sending gifts is normal -- generally a religious holy day; * Whether the value of the gift and its contents will influence the recipient's view or stance. In the past, the U.S. government stipulated the maximum limit of the value of a gift for officials was US$25; * Whether the response of the recipient of the parcel will be influenced by the value of the gift.

In this context, gift shops should not unfavorably react to the appeal from the KPK. They should ask for an advance payment for the parcels they sell and if the parcels are returned, they will still get paid.

I used to be a chief inspector at PT Caltex Pacific Indonesia and always returned the parcels sent to my home to the gift shops concerned -- with the knowledge of my superior, of course.

VINCENTIUS ALBERT TILAAR Depok, West Java