Wealth investigation commission

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