Why the Death Penalty Hasn't Eradicated Corruption: An Explanation

Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra has stressed that strengthening national ethics is a crucial foundation in efforts to eradicate corruption. According to him, a strong legal framework must be supported by the moral awareness of every citizen. While delivering a public lecture at the Institute of Home Affairs Governance (IPDN) campus in Jatinangor, Sumedang, West Java, on Monday, Yusril said Indonesia already possesses various legal instruments to handle criminal acts of corruption. However, the existence of these instruments is insufficient if not accompanied by the strengthening of ethics in national and state life. “The laws are already very harsh, even including life imprisonment and the death penalty, yet corruption still occurs. Therefore, I think there is no other choice but to strengthen national ethics, and that is the importance of Pancasila,” Yusril said. He explained that Indonesia’s anti-corruption apparatus includes the Corruption Eradication Law, the Law on the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), the Corruption Court, as well as law enforcement authority exercised by the Indonesian National Police, the Attorney General’s Office, and the KPK. Nonetheless, Yusril believes that law enforcement must be balanced with character building and moral responsibility. Thus, eradicating corruption does not rely solely on legal mechanisms but is also supported by every individual’s awareness to avoid behaviour contrary to ethics. On the occasion, Yusril also emphasised the importance of internalising the values of Pancasila, particularly the first principle, Belief in the One and Only God, as a moral guide in national and state life according to each individual’s religious beliefs. “The first principle of Belief in the One and Only God must be internalised and practised according to the religious beliefs of each faith in our country. Let us imbue our national and state life with the principles of religious ethics,” he said. According to Yusril, ethics is an essential element so that the law does not merely remain as written rules but is implemented with consideration for the values of justice and the public interest.