'Mulyana's arrest is a good sign'
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has made headlines in the past two weeks by sending suspended Aceh governor Abdul Puteh to jail and arresting General Elections Commission (KPU) member Mulyana W. Kusumah for alleged bribery. Currently, the commission is tracing state money being kept overseas. The Jakarta Post asked residents how they perceived the efforts made to fight against corruption.
Ardan, 29, works for a private company on Jl. Sudirman. He lives in the Bumi Serpong Damai housing complex, Tangerang:
Well, I think the 10-year jail term for Aceh governor Abdul Puteh and the arrest of Mulyana W. Kusumah are good signs of the government's seriousness in eradicating corruption.
Puteh's verdict indicates that there are still independent judges, as we know that the Aceh governor received political support from the Golkar party.
We must also give credit to the KPK, which called to attention indications of corruption in the KPU by arresting Mulyana. I hope that corruption cases in the commission will be unraveled.
We are waiting for more action against other embezzlers, who continue to enjoy their freedom, including businesspeople who have stolen state money through Bank Indonesia's fund assistance scheme.
Barkah, 35, is a civil servant with the Central Jakarta municipal office. He lives in Cipulir subdistrict, South Jakarta:
The arrest of KPU member Mulyana could lead to further indications of corruption in the KPU. I believe that he is not alone. More KPU members must be involved in his case.
But I cannot understand why the KPK did not immediately arrest other KPU members. Isn't it enough proof of other parties' involvement that Mulyana was caught red-handed trying to bribe a high-ranking official of the Supreme Audit Agency?
The credibility of the KPK is at stake if it cannot disclose corruption in the KPU.
We, of course, hope that the KPK will also investigate more corruption cases in other agencies that have caused losses of trillions of rupiah to the state.
Sentencing Puteh to jail is not an extraordinary thing because former Golkar leader Akbar Tandjung was also sentenced to jail by the lower courts, but the High Court exonerated him.
--The Jakarta Post