Jakarta's four DPD members launches antigraft campaign

Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

The four members of the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) representing Jakarta have launched a pilot anti-corruption campaign, distributing 50,000 posters asking the public to report to them alleged graft in the regional administrations.

Jakarta residents can inform the four councillors, Sarwono Kusumaatmadja, Mooryati Soedibyo, Marwan Batubara and Biem T. Benyamin, by telephone, e-mail, fax or letter.

"We hope that this anti-corruption campaign will lift Jakarta people's spirits in the fight against corruption," said Sarwono in his keynote speech to the DPD on Tuesday.

The campaign is sponsored by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the Danish government.

Present at the ceremony were former Jakarta governor Ali Sadikin, Governor Sutiyoso, KPK chairman Taufiequrachman Ruki and other DPD members.

Taufiequrachman said that anti-corruption campaigns using well-known figures like DPD members would strengthen common efforts to fight graft.

He said the cooperation with the DPD members from Jakarta was part of a trial project, which would be followed up others involving DPD members across the country.

The KPK had already investigated corruption in 44 regional legislative councils throughout country involving some 1,600 councillors, he said.

The role of DPD members in fighting corruption in their constituencies was strategic because they were relatively independent figures, Taufiequrachman said.

Each province has four DPD members, who were directly elected by the public during the legislative election last year. They are not formally affiliated to any political party.

"We hope that our campaign "Say No to Corruption" will be more effective because it involves DPD members. The KPK cannot work alone. It is part of our effort to treat corruption as a common enemy," he said.

Meanwhile, Ali Sadikin stressed the need for the government to act indiscriminately against those accused of graft.

It should especially investigate those who were involved in corruption involving large amounts of money, he said.

"So far, I have not seen law enforcement agencies taking big corruptors to court. They are only focusing on small corruption cases."

The 50,000 posters with pictures of the four DPD members on them will be posted in public places like hospitals, post offices, health centers, bus and train stations, places of worship and community unit offices.

They would include contact detail for each DPD member but would not, however, post their cell phone numbers.

The DPD members were, of course, expected to follow up public reports about corruption, Taufiequrachman said.

"If there is a criminal aspect (to the offending), they should report their findings to the KPK."