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.