SBY embarrassed by graft

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono admitted on Friday night he was embarrassed by the fact that the endemic corruption has been plaguing Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim country.

He said that during the APEC summit on Nov. 20-21 in Chile, the leaders of the group's 20 member-countries talked enthusiastically and freely about how to fight corruption.

"But as the new president of Indonesia with a mandate from 215 million people, I was ashamed to discuss it because of widespread corruption in our country," Susilo told an anticorruption program broadcast live by state-run TVRI on Wednesday night.

The program, called "Anticorruption Yell" sponsored by the official Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), was attended by top law enforcers, including Attorney General Abdul Rahman Saleh and National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar.

A number of Cabinet ministers were also at attendance. So were House of Representative Speaker Agung Laksono and People's Representatives Council (DPD) chairman Ginandjar Karsasmita.

The program featured several noted singers and artists, including Inul Daratista and Titik Puspa, who read out anticorruption poems during the event directed by former journalist and film director Arswendo Atmowiloto.

Before the program was closed, Susilo, who is leading the national anticorruption drive, and other top officials inked antigraft messages on a white canvas.

"Let's build a clean Indonesia. Clean from corruption," wrote the President.