Sat, 18 Dec 2004

KPK lauds Solok for good governance

Syofiardi Bachyul Jb, The Jakarta Post, Padang

Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman Taufiqurachman Ruki has named the Solok regency administration a model for the implementation of the principles of good governance, and urged other administrations across the country to emulate them.

Taufiequrachman, who was accompanied by KPK vice chairman, Sahrudin Rasul, deputy of the KPK's corruption crimes eradication division, Waluyo, and inspector general of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Sinyo Sarundayang, paid a visit on Thursday to Solok regency in West Sumatra to observe its operation.

According to Taufiequrachman, he had only heard about good governance being practiced in one place, Solok, so he was looking forward to witnessing it first hand. It is the KPK's hope to cleanse all administrations of corruption, in addition to investigating and handling criminal cases.

"When I arrived here, what I had heard was true, that Solok Regent Gamawan Fauzi had indeed implemented principles of good governance. This should also be established in other areas," he asserted.

Taufiequrachman added that corruption eradication had become a national program and several regions had initiated good governance systems in an effort to prevent corruption.

The drive by Gamawan to improve public services, which earned him the Bung Hatta Anti-Corruption Award earlier this year, had significantly increased the regency's revenue and thus the welfare of civil servants, while the public had been provided with good services, said Taufiequrachman.

"Through the issuance of the transparency bylaw, funds provided for road construction will not 'stray' to other places," he said.

The KPK head visited several government agencies in Solok and observed the public service operations in the only regency in the country, which had endorsed the Integrity Pact.

The Integrity Pact is an agreement signed by various local agencies to implement principles of a government free from corruption, collusion and nepotism.