Low-key New Year celebrations: KPK

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has asked government officials to tone down their New Year celebrations and instead donate the money to the victims of the Aceh, Flores and Papua disasters.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the KPK said state officials should not celebrate the New Year "extravagantly" after President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono announced three days of mourning for the people of Aceh.

"Instead, (officials) should use the money to help victims of the natural disasters ... through the Red Cross or other respected social organizations," the commission said.

All officials should live frugally it said, as was stipulated in a recent presidential instruction, and not misuse money from their state budgets.

Many of Indonesia's wealthy, including high-ranking government officials, often hold lavish parties to celebrate the New Year.

With extensive powers to prosecute high-profile graft suspects, the commission is also responsible for the national campaign against corruption.

Ahead of the Idul Fitri holidays, the commission was criticized by gift shops for banning state officials from receiving gifts from their subordinates or the private sector. It did the same thing before the Christmas and New Year holidays.

The commission said officials who accepted gifts in connection with their positions were acting inappropriately and that such gifts were one step away from bribes.