MTI urges establishment of anticorruption agency

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Society for Transparency (MTI), a corruption watchdog, called on Thursday for the establishment of an independent anti-corruption agency to eliminate the culture of corruption affecting the bureaucracy, military and business as well as the lives of the public.

"An independent agency is badly needed to battle against corruptions systematically, objectively and continually," MTI's chairman, Mar'ie Muhammad, said.

Mar'ie said MTI sent a letter to President B.J. Habibie requesting the establishment of such an agency on Nov. 28 last year, but no response was received.

He said he underlined again the importance for an anti- corruption agency following the alleged uncovering of the overseas wealth of former president Soeharto by Time magazine.

Mar'ie explained that a draft law was currently being prepared as a legal basis for the agency's establishment.

He said it was impossible to eradicate corrupt practices without a commitment from the government, including systematic and consistent steps.

"The issuance of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) decree on clean governance in 1998, followed by the introduction of an anti-corruption law, will not be effective to fight against the corruption culture without being supported by the independent agency," he said.

The public was still skeptical about the government's seriousness in eradicating the corruption culture, he said.

"To build the people's confidence, the government must take concrete steps by bringing corruptors to independent trials," he said, adding that the embezzled wealth had to be returned to the state.

The corruption watchdog also urged the government to seriously investigate Soeharto's fortune and the wealth of his family and business associates. These alleged huge sums of ill-gotten money have recently drawn the attention of the public as well as local and foreign press.

Mar'ie said the real steps the government should take were to make an inventory of the fortunes of Soeharto and his associates by contracting a private and independent investigation agency.

"The government should also encourage the public, including certain parties overseas, to give the independent agency any information on Soeharto's fortune and that of his cronies," he said.

The government should also invite cooperation with foreign agencies to help trace the wealth overseas, he said.

Akbar Tandjung and Amien Rais, respectively chairman of the ruling party Golkar and the National Mandate Party, shared Mar'ie's remarks.

Akbar urged Attorney General Andi M. Ghalib to investigate Soeharto's wealth based on Time's articles.

It was the first statement made by Golkar's top man after the magazine wrote in its latest edition that Soeharto and his family retained a $15 billion fortune amassed during his 32-year reign.

"This pressure constitutes Golkar's political stance and also the party's commitment," said Akbar in Jambi on Thursday.

Time's articles were accurate since they were backed by sufficient data and facts, he was quoted by Antara as saying.

On Wednesday, the attorney general announced that his office had set up a team to evaluate the Time allegations.

Ghalib said the team would summon the article's writers, including its Indonesia-based reporter Jason Tedjasukmana.

Ghalib, who was assigned by President B.J. Habibie to investigate allegations of corruption, collusion and nepotism (KKN) by Soeharto, insisted that his mandate was only to reveal wealth under Soeharto's name, and not under his children's names.

The attorney general also said that the government's hunt for Soeharto's wealth abroad, through some Indonesian embassies, had found nothing.

"There are no assets owned by Soeharto, but there are assets under Soeharto's children's names," Ghalib said, quoting a report from Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas.

Meanwhile, Amien Rais also demanded on Thursday that Habibie give an order to the attorney general to freeze Soeharto's and his families' assets abroad.

"It's no problem if Soeharto could prove later that his wealth does not come from KKN practices," he said in a discussion titled "A National Leader's Vision toward New Indonesia" at the University of Indonesia.

Amien said that Time reports were accurate since the magazine had excellent credibility. Amien also said that the magazine would not sacrifice its good name by delivering a false report. (rms/01)