Mega must lead anticorruption drive: Critics
Mega must lead anticorruption drive: Critics
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
President Megawati Soekarnoputri must declare a nation-wide war
on corruption if she wants to eradicate rampant corruption in the
country.
Albert Hasibuan of the Movement of People Concerned About
State Finances (Gempita) said on Thursday this approach was
needed to take over ineffective efforts by law enforcers in
combating corruption.
"Megawati should be ashamed that her country still ranks among
the world's most corrupt nations. She must publicly declare war
against corruption, and lead the movement to combat it," Albert
told The Jakarta Post.
He was asked to comment on the annual report by Transparency
International published on Wednesday which ranked Indonesia among
the most corrupt nations together with Bangladesh, Nigeria,
Paraguay, Angola, Kenya, Azerbaijan, and Uganda.
Albert said Megawati should start by curbing corrupt practices
among her family members and relatives.
"She must also ask the Attorney General's Office, the police,
and other important institutions to regularly report to her the
progress of anticorruption measures," he said.
Separately, Teten Masduki of Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW)
said Megawati should have a strong political commitment to combat
corruption, otherwise it would remain endemic.
According to him, Megawati should first replace Attorney
General M. A. Rahman for his failure to bring various corruption
cases to court.
Megawati, who took over the national leadership in July 2001
after members of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)
dismissed then president Abdurrahman Wahid for incompetence, has
been accused of dragging her feet in prosecuting big-time
corrupters of the New Order regime.
House Speaker Akbar Tandjung, who is also Golkar chairman, is
the highest public official prosecuted for corruption, but many
believe his trial was the result of strong public pressure,
rather than Megawati's determination to wipe out corruption.
Teten said Megawati and Chief Justice Bagir Manan had to work
hand-in-hand in eliminating court mafias.
"We are fed up with law enforcement here. We have tried to
propose many cases against corruption for three years but to no
avail as corruption in the law enforcement institutions is also
rampant," Teten said.
According to Albert, the present anticorruption measures
through institutions like the Attorney General's Office, the
police, and the courts, did not work as their officials were also
corrupt.
Many believe corruption has become endemic.
Although opposition to corruption triggered the fall of former
president Soeharto in 1998 and its eradication has become the
main reform agenda, corrupt practices are still rampant in the
country.
An anticorruption law -- Law No. 31/1999 on the eradication of
corruption -- was endorsed three years ago, but has seemingly
been ineffective in curbing corruption.