On political will

On political will

Why is it that political leaders spend so much time and money
talking to themselves about the need for political will and yet
show so little of it to their own people and in their own
situations? Is it a form of mantra (Hindu religious formula), or
a confession of guilt?

Take Indonesia, for example. President Megawati Soekarnoputri
said in her speech in South Africa, "political will is required
to take the actions needed resolve the problems that cause
poverty". She stressed, amongst others, the need for improved
market access and financial resources as vital. "We owe it to
billions of people yearning to lift themselves out of poverty", a
large proportion of whom are Indonesians.

However, what political will has there been displayed in
Indonesia to really tackle the fundamental causes for Indonesia's
failure to realize its tremendous potential, to attract investors
and improve the competitiveness of Indonesian goods? Rather than
look to globalization, why not start at home? Research suggests
that were corruption reduced in Indonesia to the level of, say
Malaysia, the growth experienced by the country in the past 20
years could have been 40 percent higher than it is.

Corruption increases costs, increased costs make for less
competitive pricing. Less competitive prices leads to less sales
and less sales leads to fewer jobs and hence greater poverty.
Take, for example, the recent decision by Nike to move to Vietnam
and close their factory in Tangerang. How much was this decision
the result of the high unofficial costs of operations in
Indonesia?

So, if one is looking for political will, start at home. For
two years the DPR has been sitting on legislation to establish an
effective Anticorruption Commission. Not one full of fat cats
riding in big new limousines, but a working agency with real
authority to investigate, to educate and to develop preventative
practices. Where's the political will to pass this legislation?

Your paper, the same day as reporting in the President's
speech reported that 27,000 officials and 155 members of the
legislators had failed to comply with the Public Servants' Wealth
Audit Commission requirement to submit their records of personal
wealth. The punishment under Article 216 of the Criminal Code
(KUHP) is derisory and administrative action is rarely taken
under PP 30/1980. So here's an opportunity to show political
will.

ALISTAIR BLUNT, Jakarta