KPK, APPI call for ruling on gifts for officials
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the Association of Indonesian Gifts Entrepreneurs (APPI) called on Wednesday for the government to issue a regulation on gifts for state officials.
The statement was the latest move involving a series of protests from parcel vendors over a KPK policy banning state officials from getting parcels from anyone but relatives and friends.
KPK deputy chairman Erry Riyana Hardjapamekas said that the commission remained firm in its stance, but called on the government to regulate the issue.
"We're sorry for parcel vendors but we still believe that receiving gifts from anyone but family or friends would open the door to collusion and corruption," he explained following a meeting with APPI chairwoman Fahira Fahmi Idris.
Erry repeated the commission's request for the government to limit the value of gifts that could be given to officials.
"We're not banning the purchase of gifts. But, if people give them to state officials in connection with their positions, it is considered a gratuity," he said, referring to any form of gifts, including money, for state officials in connection with their positions.
According to Law No. 30/2003 on KPK, state officials must report such gratuities to the commission, which then decides whether they are above board or not. Otherwise, the commission will confiscate such items and hand them over to the state.
Fahira, a daughter of Manpower and Transmigration Minister Fahmi Idris and owner of a large-scale gifts company, also asked the government to issue a regulation with specific information on giving gifts.
"We ask the government to issue a regulation within one or two days. We'll meet them soon," she said, adding that a quick move was mandatory to save their seasonal business.
Fahira stated that she was supportive of the anticorruption drive, but most of their gifts went to state officials.
"Some 50 percent of the gifts are for state officials," she said, while adding that the KPK should have issued the ban months before Idul Fitri, Christmas, New Year and the Chinese New Year, when the gift business was especially brisk.
Fahira said many small-scale gift vendors could suffer, but her business was not affected by the ban.
The protest from gift vendors and makers may be seen as a challenge to the country's recent moves against corruption.
KPK's decision to ban gifts for state officials has been hailed and supported by many government officials, legislators and anticorruption activists.
Earlier in the day, members of the House of Representatives Commission VI visited several gift shops.
Commission VI chairperson Khofifah Indar Parawansa said that the government had to consider the presence of people who make a living in the business of selling such presents.
Indonesians traditionally send fancily decorated packages of food and candy to their relatives, friends or respected figures during Idul Fitri, Christmas or other major holidays.
However, many companies or state officials' subordinates are in the habit of sending sometimes elaborate gifts to government officials in order to get on their good side to create business opportunities and other privileges.
As a result, many of the parcels from the latter group may contain valuable goods ranging from electronic gadgets to fashionable to silverware.