Whistle-blowers needed

Whistle-blowers needed

I would like to comment on B. Herry-Priyono's article titled
The DPR whistle-blowers (The Jakarta Post, Oct. 8, 2002).
The appearance of these whistle-blowers amid rampant corruption
in all the pillars of the state, be it in the legislature,
judiciary as well as the executive, is worth appreciating. I do
agree with you that more whistle-blowers are welcomed as their
role in revealing "dirty practices" will help significantly to
uncover a great number of corrupt practices.

However, there are some constraints on the part of these
whistle-blowers when it comes to their safety. In revealing
details of corruption practices they may be blackmailed by the
corruptors and their gangs, as up to now there is no single law
protecting their safety.

The latest case is of Kito Irkhamni (an official of the
Attorney General's Office who has now become a suspect in another
previous case, though) who revealed the Attorney General M.A.
Rachman's controversial house in Graha Cinere, Depok.

We all know that the amended Constitution stipulates the
rights of all citizens. Article 28 F and G on human rights states
that everyone has the right to give information through all
available means, and everyone also has the right to the feeling
of security and safety.

Therefore, the government and the House of Representatives
have to speed up the deliberation of the Freedom of Information
Bill, and insert in it an article regarding protection of
whistle-blowers. If it is not yet in place, it may, nevertheless,
be included in related laws, for instance in Australia, the
whistle-blower's right to protection appears in Article 6 of the
Australian Public Service Act.

With the inclusion of their rights, I am pretty sure, more
whistle-blowers will come forward and along with the legal
reform, I repeat, legal reform including law enforcement in this
country, more and more corruptors will be imprisoned, thanks to
information received by whistle-blowers.

M. RUSDI, Jakarta