Combating Corruption Needs Consistency

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo invited stakeholders to consistently formulate and carry out efforts to eradicate corruption. Prevention must also be followed by firm action against corruptors.

Kompas/Wawan H Prabowo

President Joko Widodo listened to the speech of the Chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Firli Bahuri while attending the National Action for Corruption Prevention (ANPK) virtually, Wednesday (26/8/2020).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The health and economic crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic serves as an opportunity for comprehensive improvement by building good, efficient, accountable and corruption-free governance. In order to do this, a concrete and comprehensive program that is carried out consistently is needed and is followed by clear sanctions and incentives.

In the opening of the National Corruption Prevention Action (ANPK) activity, Wednesday (26/8/2020), President Jokowi emphasized the importance of preventing large-scale corruption. He also emphasized that this must be done while taking firm action against those involved in corruption.

We must formulate and take concrete and consistent measures from time to time.

In this regard, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, the President reminded that quick and appropriate steps to overcome the crisis must be taken without neglecting transparency and accountability. The President emphasized that the two things must go together and strengthen each other. "We must formulate and take concrete and consistent measures from time to time," said the President via teleconference.

ANPK was coordinated by the National Corruption Prevention Team. The leadership of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), ministers, members of the House of Representatives (DPR), heads of institutions, regional heads, and representatives of civil society took part in the ANPK. Some of the participants attended it at the KPK building, Jakarta, and some others participated in a virtual way.

Transformation obstacle

Corruption remains a serious problem in Indonesia. The 2019 Corruption Perceptions Index (IPK) of Indonesia is 40. Indonesia is ranked the 85th out of 180 countries being assessed. Indonesia\'s IPK has only improved by 8 points compared to the IPK in 2012.

Corruption can also disrupt social, economic and political transformation. Indonesia\'s 2020 Governance Index is 5.4. On a scale of 0-10, the higher the score, the better a country is doing. The score on this index is the lowest of the three indexes of the Bertelsmann Stiftung Transformation Index. Two other indexes, namely the Democracy Index, Indonesia scores 6.5 and the Economic Index 6.1.

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KOMPAS/PRAYOGI DWI SULISTYO

The Corruption Eradication Commission led by KPK Deputy Chairman Nawawi Pomolango (center) held a press conference on the activities of the arrest of the East Kutai Regent, East Kalimantan, Ismunandar at the KPK Building, Jakarta, Friday (3/7/2020).

Policies in overcoming corruption are one of the indicators that has led to the decline in the Government Index score. The policies to tackle corruption get a score of 4. In the index, which is published every two years, since 2012, Indonesia\'s score on the policy indicator for overcoming corruption is stagnant at 4.

Three steps

To improve comprehensively, according to President Jokowi, the first step that must be taken is to reform the overlapping regulations, which do not give legal certainty, are complicated, and discourage officials and the bureaucracy from carrying out execution and innovation.

The President reminded law enforcers and supervisors never to take advantage of an asynchronous law to scare executives, businessmen and the public. "Law enforcement officers and supervisors who do like this are enemies of all of us. Enemy of the state. I will not tolerate anyone who commits this violation," said the President.

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The second step, said the President, is bureaucratic reform. The bureaucratic organization that has too many levels and divisions must be simplified. The third step, the anti-corruption cultural movement must be encouraged.

Vice President Ma\'ruf Amin said at the closing of the ANPK that the high level of corruption in Indonesia shows that the corruption prevention system has to close the gaps and opportunities for corruption. The Vice President hopes that the KPK will continue to be the home for the National Strategy for Prevention of Corruption (Stranas PK). The KPK must be a strong binder for collaboration and cooperation in the National Strategy for the Corruption Prevention.

Also read : Corruption in the Midst of Coronavirus

KOMPAS/HERU SRI KUMORO

An activist holds a black-and-white photograph on 23 Jan. 2020 at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in Jakarta. A group of anticorruption activists reported Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly to the KPK for allegedly obstructing the investigation into a bribery case that has implicated Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician Harun Masuki, accusing Yasonna of issuing a false statement that Harun was overseas.

Five focuses

KPK Chairman Firli Bahuri disclosed that there are five focus areas that are being worked on. First, the KPK will eradicate corruption in the business sector related to commerce and licensing. Second, eradicating corruption related to law enforcement and bureaucratic reform. Third, corruption related to politics. Fourth, corruption related to public services. Fifth, corruption related to natural resources. The five areas are chosen by the KPK leadership because they are in accordance with the program launched by the President.

Professor of Law at the University of Indonesia Indriyanto Seno Adji assessed that the National Strategy for the Corruption Prevention is currently successful in three sectors, namely licensing and commercial administration, state finance, and law enforcement and bureaucratic reform.

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However, there are still shortcomings, namely the need for experts in the field of corruption prevention who have the ability to monitor and evaluate the programs that have been prepared. Anti-corruption education and the need for experts are very influential in the National Strategy for the Corruption Prevention program which is engaged in preventing corruption.

Meanwhile, the director of the Center for Anti-Corruption Studies at Gadjah Mada University, Oce Madril, said sanctions need to be given to agencies that do not carry out optimally efforts to eradicate corruption. Conversely, successful institutions need to be given intensive so they can strengthen the institutions to innovate.

He also reminded that in eradicating corruption, integrity must exist in every institution. The culture must be carried out consistently which is manifested in an attitude of responsibility and accountability. If integrity is not carried out, there need to be sanctions, such as being deactivated and demoted.