Megawati urges end to corruption
Megawati urges end to corruption
Jupriadi, The Jakarta Post, Makassar
Amid criticism and polls indicating worsening graft practices in
the country under her leadership, President Megawati
Soekarnoputri told her supporters on Saturday to help stop these
practices.
Speaking in front of tens of thousands supporters of her
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan),
Megawati said that party members and supporters should become
part of the solution to end corruption, not become the corruptors
themselves.
"As the ruling party we should never lead our country into
bankruptcy. We should never repeat the mistakes made by the
previous regimes," she said in her speech during the celebration
of the 29th anniversary of the party here.
"Never be part of the problem of corruption, collusion and
nepotism. We choose to fight against such practices, so never
attempt to do those things that we are opposed to," the President
said at the celebration, enlivened by various traditional dances.
Also in attendance at the PDI Perjuangan celebration were
several Cabinet ministers including Coordinating Minister for
Social Welfare Jusuf Kalla and Minister of National Education
Abdul Malik Fadjar.
The President's comment came amid accusations that most
government officials were trying to amass funds by exploiting
their position in the government for the sake of their own
parties ahead of the coming general election in 2004.
Some high-ranking officials close to the palace, earlier told
The Jakarta Post that even within the Cabinet such practices were
common and sometimes hampered decision making.
Noted economist Sjahrir said that most state-owned enterprises
and the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA), that manage
billions of dollars of assets, had been used as cash cows for the
political elite, and this has slowed down economic recovery.
In her speech, Megawati defended her decision to again
postpone the establishment of a House special committee to probe
the misuse of State Logistics Agency (Bulog) funds allegedly
involving Golkar Party chairman and House Speaker Akbar Tandjung
by saying that the law should come forward in fighting
corruption.
"It is impossible for the nation to uphold the law if we never
give space for the law to serve ... We have to use the momentum
to uphold the law and fight corruption at the same time," she
remarked.
Megawati has reportedly told her party leaders to postpone,
and even squash, the establishment of such an inquiry.
The reason cited has always been to allow the legal process to
proceed without being hampered by political intervention.
The move to squash the inquiry team is perceived by some as a
means to prevent Megawati's administration from cracking as her
Cabinet members represent various parties.