Robbing the future
Within a society generally corrupt, liberty cannot exist. It is with utmost despair that we note, once again, reports of unsavory actors this time allegedly embezzling millions of dollars from the Book and Reading Development Project funded by international donors.
There is no excuse for robbing children -- most of whom are marginalized from middle class endowment -- of humanity's simplest pleasures: reading and learning.
Every faith has a list of principal unforgivable sins. In the "religion" of democracy, surely the abuse of resources to enlighten our next generation ranks among the highest of evils.
The World Bank claims that collusion led to the procurement of inferior quality textbooks in a schoolbook project which began in 1995. The Book and Reading Development Project, implemented by the Ministry of National Education, was partly funded by an International Bank for Reconstruction and Development loan for the purchase of textbooks for secondary schools. It is estimated that some $53 million has been disbursed for the project which was eventually closed in 2002.
In making its accusations the World Bank has also blacklisted several publishers and individuals for alleged fraud and corruption in the project.
The Indonesian Publishers Association, however, maintains that the World Bank has provided no evidence on the matter. Senior Ministry of National Education officials on the other hand have only provided a terse statement on the matter, suggesting that they were probably caught off guard by the revelation.
While an official Indonesian investigation has yet to confirm the World Bank's accusations, many of us, sadly, would not be surprised if they were true. Such is the prevalence of corruption in the country, that indignation is not directed toward the mark- ups or collusion, but whether everyone involved is vended an appropriate share.
Some have said this latest case is symptomatic of the prevailing culture of corruption in our bureaucracy. We believe it goes deeper than that. Rampant corruption is the most infallible symptom of a failing society.
We who know, and have the privilege of status to act are guilty by omission if such a case were allowed to ebb quietly amid the headlines of presidential politicking. Our selfishness cultivates the impunity of corruption and demoralization of the community.
We insist the ministry and police conduct an immediate investigation into the matter. There is no excuse for delay. Similarly, the World Bank should also make public its own findings which led it to this horrible conclusion.
More than just apprehending the culprits, transparency on the case is needed to reassure potential donors that their generous contributions to Indonesia are not merely lining the pockets of a handful of crooked individuals. It is imperative that the next government also takes measures to ensure better supervision in dispersing donor funds, especially if they are meant to save lives and instill hope in our future generation.
This case -- of blatant act of deceit and theft -- can be more damaging to Indonesia's image than the question of security. It rightly poses the most libelous of questions: Can Indonesians be trusted?
Having lived through decades of political repression, there were few things we thought could be more vile than book banning. Yet, robbing children of their future may just top that.