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.