More condemn corrupt politicians
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.