NU urge Megawati to arrest big corruptors

NU urge Megawati to arrest big corruptors

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Amid rising public apprehension over various perceived
injustices, a leading Muslim leader urged President Megawati
Soekarnoputri on Thursday to take drastic measures to arrest big-
time corruptors and confiscate their wealth to satisfy the
public's sense of justice.

Speaking to reporters after meeting with the President, Hasyim
Muzadi, chairman of the country's largest Muslim organization
Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), said that the simultaneous utility price
hikes had wounded the public's sense of justice as, at the same
time, the government planned to exonerate large debtors from
possible criminal charges.

"The government took into account only economic considerations
but forgot the noneconomic factor -- the public's sense of
justice.

"Economically, the government has considered that these
utility price hikes are necessary .... On the other hand, it is
letting the corruptors get away without punishment.

"In this case, the government must be tough in arresting
corruptors and taking the (corrupted) money back. Don't raise
prices here while letting leakages continue unplugged in other
places," Hasyim told reporters after a one-hour meeting with
Megawati.

The meeting was the first since Megawati became president in
July 2001.

Megawati's government has been under attack for its policy of
raising fuel prices, telephone and electricity rates effective
this month and for its release and discharge policy, which frees
a number of the country's largest debtors from possible criminal
charges.

Hasyim also suggested that the government reschedule the
utility price hikes.

"It's now up to the President. All we can do now is just wait
and see," he said.

When asked about Megawati's response to his suggestion, Hasyim
said that Megawati only gave a short answer: "God willing, I will
think about it."

A number of experts gave support on Thursday to Hasyim's calls
for the government to take drastic measures to restore the
public's sense of justice.

Economist Didik J. Rachbini also urged the government to seize
the assets of bad debtors who owed trillions of rupiah to the
government.

"If the government wishes to cover its state budget deficit,
it must force the former bank owners to meet their obligations to
pay all their debts, and not raise utility prices, which will
place a greater burden on the already weakened people," Didik
said.

Former bank owners received some Rp 114.5 trillion (US$12.7
billion) in liquidity loans from the government following the
1997 economic crisis, to avoid the bankruptcy of the ailing
banks. Only a portion of this money has ever been returned.

Didik said, as an example, that the Salim group, which owed
some Rp 52.7 trillion to the government, had repaid only about Rp
20 trillion and yet the government wanted to grant release and
discharge status.

"Of course this will hurt the public's sense of justice; it
will make people angry with the government," he said.

For this reason, Didik said, it would only be logical for the
government to cancel its release and discharge policy.

Meanwhile, Imam B. Prasodjo, a sociologist at the University
of Indonesia, called on the government to boost law enforcement
by sending high-ranking officials or influential figures
convicted of corruption or human rights violations to jail.

A number of high-ranking officials still enjoy freedom,
pending their appeal decisions. They include House of
Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung, former East Timor
governor Abilio Jose Osorio Soares, former Dili Military
commander Lt. Col. Soedjarwo and former East Timor paramilitary
leader Eurico Gutterres.

Another important thing that the government needed to do,
according to Imam, was to stop high-ranking officials or their
spouses from holding lavish parties, such as that thrown by
Megawati's husband Taufik Kiemas in celebration of his 60th
birthday in Bali on the last day of 2002.

Such drastic measures, Imam and Didik said, were needed to
help reduce public disappointment over the various injustices and
the recent utility price increases.

"People will continue to oppose the prices hikes and other
government policies if the government fails to assuage public
disappointment," Imam told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.