Legislators seek ouster of corrupt officials

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.