Wealth investigation commission

A 50-member wealth investigation commission will be set up by May 19, 2000 -- six months after the enforcement on Nov. 19 of Law No. 28/1999 on Anti Collusion, Corruption and Nepotism. In this regard I suggest that a ruling be made on the following requirements of commission members, to ensure their credibility:

* That they announce their wealth in the media before their candidacy for membership; the report is then submitted to the House of Representatives which will select and determine the members.

* That members announce any changes in their wealth every month.

* That members work full time, and hence abandon their previous job and be banned from moonlighting after their appointment as commission members.

* That they should draw up a statement on stamp duty paper certified by a notary public, stating that they will only receive income from their salary as a commission member and that they will refuse gifts in whatever form, in whatever manner and from any person.

We hope that the elected commission members are people of quality like Munir (of the Committee for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence), Bambang Widjoyanto (of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation), Hendardi (of the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association), Teten Masduki (of Indonesian Corruption Watch) and other genuine anticorruption fighters who not easily lured by wealth, are unafraid of threats and are not discriminatory. The commission would therefore yield results which the public yearns for -- the eradication of corruption in Indonesia.

H. WISDARMANTO

Jakarta