Yusril: National ethics must be the foundation for eradicating corruption
Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections (Menko Kumham Imipas), Yusril Ihza Mahendra, has stated that strengthening national ethics is a crucial foundation in the fight against corruption, as robust legal rules must be supported by the moral awareness of citizens.
During a visit to Sumedang, West Java, on Monday, Yusril said that Indonesia already possesses various legal instruments to handle corruption, but their existence is insufficient if not accompanied by ethics in national and state life.
"The laws are already so strict, even carrying life imprisonment and the death penalty, yet corruption still occurs. Therefore, I think there is no other choice but to strengthen the nation’s ethics, and that is the importance of Pancasila," he said while delivering a public lecture at the IPDN Jatinangor Campus, Sumedang, on Monday.
He explained that the available anti-corruption apparatus includes the Corruption Eradication Law, the Law on the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), the Corruption Court (Tipikor), as well as the law enforcement authority held by the police, prosecutor’s office, and the KPK.
According to Yusril, the existence of these instruments must be followed by character building and moral responsibility so that anti-corruption efforts do not only proceed through legal mechanisms but are also supported by every individual’s awareness to avoid actions that violate ethics.
"The principle of Belief in the One and Only God must be internalised and practised according to the religious beliefs of each faith present in our country. Let us imbue our national and state life based on the principles of religious ethics," he said.
He argued that ethics is an important element so that the law does not stop at being a written rule but is applied by considering the values of justice and the public interest.
"These values must be reviewed and applied starting from early childhood education. Ethics must be truly taught so that they are obeyed by everyone and permeate into a consciousness," he added.
Yusril also reminded the cadets of the Institute of Home Affairs Governance (IPDN) to understand that state apparatus are not only tasked with enforcing rules but must also possess integrity and wisdom in making decisions within society. He added that government officials will face various issues that require a balance between legal certainty, ethics, and a sense of justice.