More condemn corrupt politicians

Urip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Prominent religious leaders, businesspeople and activists have agreed to step up efforts against corruption by not supporting candidates in the election that have shown an unwillingness to stop corruption.

They publicly announced the agreement during a one-day conference entitled "Building a Union Against Graft" here on Tuesday.

The conference was organized by the Private Sector Taskforce Against Graft (PSTAG), whose members include Transparency International (TI), the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), Indonesia Business Links and the Forum for Corporate Governance in Indonesia (FCGI).

Businessman Sofjan Wanandi, who is also executive chairman of Kadin's National Economic Recovery Committee (KPEN) and chairman of the Employer's Association of Indonesia, said that the private sector wanted the next government to be free from corruption.

"There is a growing tendency now among businesspeople not to give campaign contributions or support in any other way the legislative and presidential candidates who have no commitment to eradicating corruption," he said.

Sofjan also said that the judicial system should be at the forefront of the anti-corruption effort, as the public was getting sick of seeing unscrupulous businesspeople being let off the legal hook, and further worsening the perception that the country's business sector was a hornet's nest of corruptors.

Solahudin Wahid, vice chairman of the country's largest Islamic organization Nadhlatul Ulama (NU), expressed a similar opinion, adding that the foot soldiers in the battle against corruption should be the officials in the judicial system as well as political leaders.

"We therefore need to choose future leaders who are acceptable in terms of their integrity, their commitment and their ability to fight corruption," Solahudin.

Lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis, who is also chairman of TI Indonesia and PSTAG's steering committee, said PSTAG would soon embark on a roadshow to 21 cities across the country, where it would hold seminars to strengthen collaboration among the public in combating corruption.

Todung particularly urged businesspeople to also take the lead and be an example by refusing to participate in graft, including bribery, marked up commissions and courtesy "gifts" to grease the wheels of business negotiations.

"Graft practices will eventually create a high-cost, unhealthy economy, which is unattractive for investors and for the proper running of businesses," he said. "Such practices also create short-term benefits only for a few at the expense of the greater public in the long run."

Also speaking at the conference was A. Syafii Maarif, chairman of the second largest Islamic association here, Muhammadiyah, who said that the fight against corruption, which was destroying the nation, also needed participation and dedication from all sectors of society.

"What is therefore needed now is to work toward further fostering this effort against corruption and collaborate with one another in eradicating it, or else we will face a bleaker future," he said.