KPK Assesses Corruption in Public Services Often Begins with Minor Infractions

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) assesses that corrupt practices in the public service sector often begin with deviations considered trivial and then develop into larger violations. KPK Chairman Setyo Budiyanto stated that one of the causes is a mindset not oriented towards serving the public. “If it can be slowed down, why speed it up? If it can be made difficult, why make it easy? If the bureaucratic chain can be lengthened, why shorten it?” Setyo said at the National Institute of Public Administration (LAN) building in Jakarta on Wednesday. According to him, such a mindset can open up opportunities for illegal levies (pungli) in public services. “The matter should be trivial and accountable, but for one reason or another, gratification starts, small illegal levies, then conflicts of interest, abuse of authority, and so on,” he said. Furthermore, Setyo highlighted the habit of giving, which is still often considered normal by some segments of society. “Often many give this as part of tolerance. Why? Eastern customs, culture, respect. Only trivial things, we seem to consider it as something that is okay, normal,” he remarked. He cautioned that deviant practices generally do not start with major violations, but from small things that are continuously tolerated. As an example, Setyo touched on the practice of illegal parking, which is often considered a simple issue. “Rp2,000, Rp3,000, Rp5,000, we might consider it small change. But because it is indirectly extorted or tolerated, that money certainly does not just stay with the parking attendant. The money flows to the parking manager, the area manager, those who control the area, even to officials,” he said. According to him, turning a blind eye to such small practices can create a wider chain of irregularities. “We consider it normal. But if we tidy it up, I believe it will become something extraordinary,” he stated. One of the alleged corruption cases related to public services currently being handled by the KPK this year involves suspected extortion in the processing of residence permits for foreign nationals and the receipt of gratuities within the Directorate General of Immigration for the 2022–2026 period. In this case, the KPK has named several suspects, including former Minister of Immigration and Corrections Silmy Karim, who is now undergoing further legal proceedings.