Government seeks int'l help in fighting corruption
Government seeks int'l help in fighting corruption
Dadan Wijaksana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Long known as a safe haven for corruptors, Indonesia has asked
the international community for support in its fight to stamp out
corruption, at a three-day meeting it is hosting on
anticorruption initiatives for the Asia-Pacific region.
"The meeting should be helpful for a country like Indonesia as
we can learn from other countries how to eradicate corruption. We
can share the knowledge and input on the matter at the meeting,"
Agus Muhammad, the finance ministry's inspector general, told
reporters on Wednesday.
The meeting started on March 4 and runs through March 6. It is
jointly organized by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the
Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
Agus said that with the support of the international
community, the government could obtain a great deal of
information and thus come up with a better strategy and solution
to combat corruption.
Even after the downfall of the allegedly corrupt regime of
president Soeharto in 1998, efforts to eliminate corruption have
been relatively fruitless.
Blamed for the prolonged economic crisis, corruption is
rampant and appears to be spreading, with many suggesting that it
is getting out of control. Findings of the misuse of state funds
have increased, in terms of both volume and value.
Only recently, the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) -- which
oversees the use of state funds at state institutions -- found
irregularities amounting to a staggering Rp 456.3 trillion (about
US$60 billion) in 2001 and 2002.
BPK said that the findings were the results of an inspection
that covered the implementation of central and regional
government budgets in 2001 and 2002.
The amount surpasses the Rp 430 trillion injected into banks
by the government to avoid the collapse of the banking sector
during the monetary crisis.
Despite the huge figure, many believe it is only the tip of
the iceberg, indicating how imperative it is that the government
comes up with a way to at least reduce corruption.
According to the World Bank, one of the country's main
creditors, rampant corruption has not only caused losses to the
state but has also discouraged investors from investing in
Indonesia.
Elsewhere, Agus said that 16 countries were taking part in the
meeting -- called the ADB-OECD Anti-Corruption Initiative for the
Asia Pacific -- as well as the Advisory Council consisting of
representatives of donor agencies, international non-governmental
organizations and business organizations, including Transparency
International, the World Bank and the Australian Agency for
International Development (AusAID).
A media release said that the initiative was first endorsed by
more than 35 member countries of the OECD and ADB in 1999 in
Manila. Its main goal is to help countries create an effective
anticorruption mechanism and lay the foundation for a sustained
fight against corruption.
The initiative was drafted the Regional Anti-Corruption Action
Plan, which was later endorsed by 17 countries, including
Indonesia.