Megawati asked to set example in fighting corruption
Megawati asked to set example in fighting corruption
JAKARTA (JP): To set an example, President Megawati
Soekarnoputri is urged to declare zero tolerance against
corruption by openly calling on all not to give any facility to
members of her family or political party.
Legal experts suggested on Wednesday that such an open call
against corruption would serve as a good start for Megawati to
begin the new administration by projecting herself as a
trustworthy role model to regain people's trust in the
government.
Irma Hutabarat from Anti-Corruption Consultants said a
declaration of zero tolerance from the President would serve as
the most effective, quick and powerful stimulus for the nation-
wide effort to eradicate corruption.
"Battling against corruption is like sweeping a staircase. It
has to be done, starting from the top. Megawati should make a
declaration that none of her family and relatives has ever been
involved in corruption," Irma told The Jakarta Post, after a
seminar on the establishment of an anti-corruption commission.
Erma, who is also chairwoman of the Institute for Civic
Education, noted that it was high time for Megawati to state
clearly her stance on corruption to distinguish herself from the
previous three presidents, all tainted by corruption.
Speaking on the sidelines of the same seminar, the coordinator
of Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW), Teten Masduki, shared the
opinion and said that Megawati should clear the State Palace of
corrupt practices.
"Until now we have experienced that any request for facilities
coming from the State Palace cannot be rejected, and this leads
to corruption," Teten said.
In addition, Teten said political parties had also contributed
to the rampant corruption in state businesses, which they had
treated as cash cows to finance their political spending.
Therefore, Teten said, Megawati must make it clear to the
public that state officials, public officials, and state
enterprise officials would not be allowed at all to give any kind
of facility to her family, relatives and colleagues at the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) that she
chairs.
Mardjono Reksodiputro from the National Commission of Law
added that Megawati should also stand strong and make no
compromises in the handling of past corruption cases, even
involving close friends.
"And it's certainly not an easy matter. She will face a lot of
political pressure in handling such past cases because they are
difficult to prove due to lack of evidence and because the crimes
can involve everybody in the past regime.
"In this situation, we have to establish a special court to
try corruption cases, with judges of high integrity, who are all
creative and courageous enough to ring the changes in handing
down severe sentences to corruptors," Mardjono told the Post.
Speaking at the seminar organized by the Laboratory of
Sociology Studies of the University of Indonesia, criminal law
expert Harkristuti Harkrisnowo expressed his confidence that
Megawati had the courage and integrity to fight corruption.
Harkristuti, nevertheless, urged Megawati to select her
Cabinet members carefully, especially the top law enforcement
officials, including the minister of justice, attorney general
and National Police chief.
"They should be professionals who are capable and who can gain
the public's acceptance," she added. (bby)