Legislators seek ouster of corrupt officials
Dadan Wijaksana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Major factions of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) urged the government on Friday to get tough on state officials involved in corruption, collusion and nepotism (KKN) practices.
The National Awakening faction demanded that the government impose severe sanctions on state administrators and law enforcers allegedly involved in KKN.
"A lack of law enforcement is the main reason why the practices are still flourishing in this country," Erman Suparno, faction speaker, said.
"The battle against KKN has failed because everybody is implicated. If our law enforcers were real reformists, there should have been a large number of people (accused of involvement in KKN) that should now be in jail."
"I called on the government to dismiss and replace any law enforcers or police officers immediately if found to be hesitant in conducting their duties," he added.
The MPR passed a decree on Friday that states that administrative punishment will be applied to state officials and law enforcers if suspected of involvement in KKN.
Faction of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), the largest in the Assembly, also welcomed the decree, saying it was the product of a more reformed institution.
"The decree, provides us with clear guidance on how to combat KKN," Spokesman I Dewa Gede Palguna said.
The faction's response was a surprise given its failure to push ahead with its proposal to mention the mandatory dismissal of officials implicated in KKN.
"Since we've agreed that KKN is an extraordinary crime, the whole process of KKN eradication has to be extraordinary as well."
He was referring to the government's willingness to impose stern measures on corrupt officials who many believe play a big part in the country's poor economic performance.
United Development Party, the Assembly's third largest faction, also expressed its gratitude for the establishment of the decree, saying it would strengthen and fill the gaping hole left by an existing decree on the subject, decree No. XI/1998.
"We have realized that the last decree could not even slow down the illegal practices, let alone eliminate them.
"Hopefully, this will speed up and guarantee the effectiveness of the KKN eradication process," Thahir Saimima said.
Other key points in the decree include: To conduct more serious legal action in all corruption cases, increase public participation in observing and reporting KKN carried out by state officials and revoke, change or replace existing regulations which are against the KKN eradication spirit.