'Indonesians live in asylum'

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: Disillusioned by the rampant corruption in Indonesia, a legal expert has likened the country to an asylum.

"Without intending to pour scorn on the country, I say it is like an asylum which houses people who are mad about corruption, collusion and nepotism, positions and power," J.E. Sahetapy, the chairman of the National Legal Commission, said during a seminar on the legislative elections here on Saturday.

In his presentation, Sahetapy, who is also a legislator from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), said many people here had lost their common sense.

There are also people who suffer from depression because they can not stand the crime and corruption in the country, he said.

Sahepaty was presenting a paper titled Political morals and etiquette during the national seminar, which was organized by the Association of Indonesian Christian Intellectuals and the Women's Empowerment Caucus. -- Antara