Political system needs revision to ensure fairness

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia needs to revise its political system to ensure ethical and fair business practices as well as prevent corruption and collusion between business people and government officials, experts and business leaders say.

"It is obvious from the occurrence of the Golden Key case alone that the current political system cannot ensure transparent and fair business mechanisms," economist Sjahrir said during a seminar on business ethics and morality yesterday.

"Right now our businessmen regard lobbying politicians as everything," he told the meeting organized by the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin).

Ever since the Golden Key scandal erupted earlier this year, and proved how an obscure businessman could obtain nearly a US$500 million bank credit by bribing bankers and political connections, many members of Indonesia's business and political circles have publicly aired their disillusionment about the political system.

The Kadin seminar, opened by Vice President Try Sutrisno and featuring State Minister for Development Planning Ginandjar Kartasasmita as a speaker, evolved into an outspoken forum with participants uninhibitedly criticizing government policies during the afternoon session.

Almost all of the afternoon speakers, including businessman Fahmi Idris and political scientists Amien Rais and Dewi Fortuna Anwar, expressed blunt remarks.

None of the high officials were present at the afternoon session.

"It is useless to talk about business ethics if there is no effective law enforcement from the government," said Fahmi Idris, who is also a member of the ruling Golkar political group.

"It is clear that now the system only favors certain big business groups. We must end this culture of collusion," he added.

Enforcement

Dewi of the Center for Information and Development Studies (CIDES) said that besides improving the laws, the government must also enforce the existing rules.

The current system does not guarantee that rules are fairly enforced, she stressed.

Earlier in the day, Vice President Try Sutrisno said that the government will not tolerate "monopolistic practices which only benefit certain groups."

"Such practices will only exploit the people and are not consistent with the social justice principle, which is embedded in the 1945 Constitution," he said.

Try, aside from warning the seminar about the danger that greed brings, also proposed to Kadin members to participate in and sponsor P4 courses, which elaborate on the principles and implementation of Pancasila, the state ideology.

Meanwhile, Kadin chairman and leading indigenous tycoon Aburizal Bakrie said that "Kadin wants to develop a new business society which is not alienated from the sufferings of the poor." (hdj)