KPK all the way !
KPK all the way !
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman's remarks
after being sworn in by President Megawati Soekarnoputri on Dec.
29, 2003, to the effect that all cases of corruption were his
priority (The Jakarta Post, December 30), deserve our support,
despite his failure to short-list particular cases of corruption.
The government has given full powers to the team to act, as
indicated by the fact that the President did not deliver a speech
during the swearing-in ceremony. We are of the same opinion as
the coordinator of Indonesian Corruption Watch, Teten Masduki
(despite the various doubts and his disappointment over the line-
up of the team), that we will need at least six months to one
year to evaluate its performance.
To start with and in line with Ruki's statement that all cases
of corruption are his priority, I think he must commence with an
investigation into alleged markups in Ministry of Health
projects, as these cases are the newest and easiest to probe.
After that, he may probe other, bigger cases like the notorious
bank liquidity loans which siphoned off trillions of rupiah in
state funds, with most of the money since having been stashed
abroad by the corrupters.
With regard to these loan scandals, the KPK will be able to
utilize Articles 43-45 of the new United Nations Convention
against Corruption (UNCAC), which Indonesia signed on Dec. 18,
2003, to detect money hidden in foreign countries, and establish
international cooperation to investigate and extradite corrupters
to Indonesia once the treaty has been ratified by the House of
Representatives. In addition, the commission will also be able to
use Articles 55-57 to recover embezzled money or assets.
If the probes of the above cases are successful, the
commission will have proved to the public that it is serious in
combating corruption, and may also improve Indonesia's position
in international transparency ratings. If so, the Minister of
Administrative Reforms' prediction that Indonesia will be free of
corruption, collusion, and nepotism by 2015 may not overly
pessimistic. So, go ahead, KPK !!
M. RUSDI
Jakarta