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