'Indonesian law toothles against corruption'

ID Nugroho and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya/Jakarta

Nahdlatul Ulama chairman Hasyim Muzadi called for a moral movement to eradicate corruption because the law had proven toothless.

"Our law no longer has the courage, therefore corruption eradication must begin with a moral movement," Hasyim said during a press conference at the Al-Hikam boarding school he runs in Malang, East Java.

The conference precedes the planned declaration on Monday of a national anticorruption movement spearheaded by NU and Muhammadiyah, the country's two largest Muslim organizations.

"A synergy between moral and legal movements will result in a system which will give birth to clean leaders. We expect only the clean to be elected in 2004," Hasyim said.

He said the moral movement would encourage people to avoid any form of corruption, such as giving "presents" to state officials.

Playing down any political motives behind the movement, Hasyim asserted the anticorruption campaign was not meant to discredit any certain political party or the government.

Corruption, collusion and nepotism were blamed for the economic crisis that hit the country in 1997, which led to the reform movement and regime change.

However, many critics accuse the new regime of failing to clean up the country, with corruptors remaining undeterred as they take advantage of weak law enforcement.

Loopholes in Indonesian law have allow many convicted corrupters to remain free or to receive light sentences, injuring the people's sense of justice.

Underlining their concern with corruption in the country, both NU and Muhammadiyah, which have 70 million members between them, said the movement would only work with the complete backing of the entire nation.

"With the declaration (of the movement), we wish to clear all the stumbling blocks to our efforts to eradicate corruption and bring the corruptors to justice," Hasyim said.

The declaration will take place on Monday at the Al-Hikam boarding school.

State Minister for National Development Planning Kwik Kian Gie, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Rokhmin Dahuri, Indonesian Communion of Churches deputy chairman Rev. Yewanggoe and Roeslan Abdul Gani are scheduled to attend the declaration in a show of support.

The launch of the moral movement follows a memorandum of understanding signed on Oct. 15 by NU, Muhammadiyah and facilitator the Partnership for Government Reform.

The Indonesian Bishops Council, representing the Catholic church, has declared its support for the anticorruption movement and will issue an election guide asking Catholics to vote for politicians untainted by corruption.

As part of the movement, NU and Muhammadiyah will draw up guidelines for their followers in dealing with corruption and impose moral sanctions against any members involved in corruption.

To lead by example, the two organizations will adopt open management to ensure transparency and accountability.

Hasyim criticized President Megawati Soekarnoputri for her reluctance to take harsh measures against corruption because, as she has said, she does not want to be accused of human rights violations.

"Corrupters themselves are human rights abusers. Law enforcement officials should have no hesitation in taking tough action," he said.

Muhammadiyah chairman Syafii Maarif said that as part of the moral movement, the organization would introduce an annual internal audit that would also apply to all legal entities under Muhammadiyah.

"To uphold public accountability, we will assign a public accountant to do the audit," Syafii told The Jakarta Post.

"For our members, should they be found involved in corruption, they will be dismissed from Muhammadiyah."