Misconduct must be eliminated: Scholar

Misconduct must be eliminated: Scholar

JAKARTA (JP): The rampant misconduct in the political elite
should be wiped out if Indonesia wants to survive the current
economic crisis, a respected scholar said yesterday.

Franz Magnis-Suseno of the Jakarta-based Driyarkara School of
Philosophy warned that the crisis would shatter the country's 30
years of achievement unless a total correction was made.

Magnis said when addressing a discussion that the misconduct
included the rampant corruption, collusion, and nepotism
practiced by the country's political elite over the past three
decades.

"The lack of a check-and-balance mechanism has seen the
misconduct become rife. They are changing from bad to worse," he
told a discussion on social transformation organized by the
Christian University of Indonesia.

Magnis said he would like to see the correction made in a good
spirit and peaceful fashion.

"It should be free of bad attitudes like hatred, retaliation
and so on, but be positive and scrap policies that are not right.
From now on everything must be made right," he said.

In the economy, for instance, policies are needed that could
economically empower people, Magnis said.

"Instead of ceaselessly blaming conglomerates for the current
crisis, legislation should be prepared to stop projects being
awarded to the same few businesspeople," he said.

Magnis said the correction would be possible only if there was
"openness and democratic participation from all members of
society".

"Decision-making processes should not be dominated by the
political elite otherwise efforts to reform will end in failure,"
he warned.

Magnis, who is a Catholic priest and author of several books
on political ethics and philosophy, also called on all parties in
society to put national interests above those of individuals.

"Every maneuver that could spark conflict in society must be
stopped," he said.

In Yogyakarta, dozens of democracy activists issued a
statement yesterday in which they declared "war against
corruption, nepotism and collusion."

The misconduct that had become commonplace among bureaucrats,
they said in a five-point statement, had weakened the pillars on
which the nation was founded.

The group also called for political reform to make it possible
for Indonesia to emerge the current economic crisis.

The statement was read out by Revrisond Baswir, a Gadjah Mada
University economist, during a seminar featuring Moslem scholar
Amien Rais and theologian Th. Sumartana. (aan/23/44)