Mega lacks priority to combat KKN: Official

Mega lacks priority to combat KKN: Official

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

President Megawati Soekarnoputri's complaint that her
anticorruption campaign lacks legislative support received strong
reactions from legislators on Tuesday.

Legislators said that all the efforts to combat corruption had
been hampered by the government's lack of priorities and wrong
approach.

Ali Masykur Musa from the National Awakening Party (PKB)
pointed out that the Megawati administration should set
priorities in its agenda to uproot corruption.

"Priority is important to make the anticorruption efforts
successful," Ali told The Jakarta Post.

Megawati said on Monday that deliberations of several bills
related to KKN (corruption, collusion and nepotism) in the House
had progressed at snail pace.

Under deliberation are bills on money laundering and
anticorruption commission. Indonesia has a number of laws
pertaining to corruption, but enforcement is weak.

The Indonesian public is waiting for trials in the numerous
high-profile cases that have already been processed at the
Attorney General's Office. They have yet to be taken to court for
unexplained reasons.

Ali acknowledged that the President's claim had truth. The
House is so riddled with internal conflict that it has often
confused its legislative, supervisory and budgetary functions.

A harsher response came from legislator Ade Komaruddin from
the Golkar Party. He said that the Megawati administration had
taken the political approach in its efforts to combat KKN.

"Megawati as the chairwoman of PDI Perjuangan (Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle) has also ordered her party to focus
on political move," Ade said.

Ade appeared to be referring to PDI Perjuangan's support for
the creation of a special House committee to probe Golkar
chairman/House Speaker Akbar Tandjung alleged involvement in a Rp
40 billion corruption case.

Supporters of the establishment of a House investigation
committee say it is necessary because the public has been losing
trust in a judicial system which has largely failed to solve
major cases to public satisfaction.

Akbar has also been investigated by the Attorney General's
Office. Golkar Party rejects the idea to create the House
investigation committee.

Ade said that all anti-corruption efforts should be based on
People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Decree, which prescribes
legal, not political, solutions.