Republic of Cash Cow

I still remember an article on the last page of a national newspaper in the last century. The article entitled "RBI (Republic of Leaked Indonesia)" was my reaction to the illegal transaction of fuel oil in Natuna waters. From Indonesians to foreigners, in order to reap big profits.

How much profit was gained was not explained. Petroleum-based fuel (BBM) was sold illegally to foreigners by the nation\'s very own people who only had a single goal: to steal people’s property by violating all laws and regulations at will.

Here comes the RSP (Republic of Cash Cows). Such rotten and evil deeds have been going on for decades under various regimes. The country seems helpless. They get bullied by the adventurers who are really good at playing.

In early February 2021, I received a report from a very trustworthy person, an expert on BBM. According to the report, a subsidiary of a state-owned enterprise (BUMN) has committed atrocities for a long years. They manipulate the subsidiary to look legal, for personal or group gain.

Also read: Lack of Political Will

State losses reached hundreds of billions of US dollars. Documents are still stored on my phone. That\'s just one subsidiary. Hundreds of others may be sami mawon (just the same).

If the title of this article feels harsh and cruel, it is deliberate, because the facts on the ground are much harsher and cruel. I forwarded the report to the president commissioner of the parent company. Here is the answer: "There are too many plays, sir." It became increasingly clear to me that this country is indeed a paradise for criminals.

Since then, the authority in the archipelago was officially taken over by the Dutch colonial government, until it was expelled by the Japanese troops in 1942.

Law enforcement officers are often blunt and powerless. The culprit was brown-skinned men (our own people), not the sharp nose of the late 18th century VOC era (colonial ruler). The VOC collapsed due to the mega-corruption of the white man. Since then, the authority in the archipelago was officially taken over by the Dutch colonial government, until it was expelled by the Japanese troops in 1942.

Legacy of corruption

Among the VOC\'s rotting legacy for an independent Indonesia is the criminal act of corruption. Two of President Jokowi\'s ministers who were fired because of corruption are the latest evidence that has just come to light. One case involves social assistance (bansos), another case is lobster seeds. Those who have not been caught, hopefully will also be discovered soon.

KOMPAS/RADITYA HELABUMI

Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigators display Rp 110 million in cash at a press conference on the results of a sting operation on bribery allegations related to a waterway project in Yogyakarta at the KPK building in South Jakarta on Aug. 20. (20/8/2019).

Corruption has penetrated all lines of life of the nation. From the village that was collapsed to the center of power. Nothing is really clean. If Indonesia\'s geographic location was south of Sahara Africa, this nation and country would have long since sunk. Cursed. Failed because some were the great-grandchildren of the VOC.

Praise Allah, the location of this country of thousands of islands around the equator is rich, both land and sea. Even though it has become cash cows, this nation still survives with huge debts and panting breath. In the midst of this Covid-19 attack, some of our people already disoriented and do not know what to do, and the state has to spend hundreds of trillions of rupiah to help them.

Also read: Corruption Emergency

This policy is the only way to go and the country has done it. Very disgusting, this pandemic social fund has become a target of corruption.

Indonesia was on fire and shaken. Unfortunately, after President Soeharto took over the matter, this controversy gradually subsided.

To refresh our collective memory of how this nation and state have repeatedly become cash cows, let us jot such incidents down since the early 1970s. Remember when the newspaper Indonesia Raya, led by Mochtar Lubis, exposed the US$12 billion mega-corruption in state oil company Pertamina. Indonesia was on fire and shaken. Unfortunately, after President Soeharto took over the matter, this controversy gradually subsided.

Mochtar Lubis\' criticism was silenced without a trace. Where this country’s wealth gone has never been explained to this day.

As a result of the monetary crisis in 1998, in December of that year -- under pressure from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) -- Bank Indonesia (BI) distributed Bank Indonesia Liquidity Assistance (BLBI) loans of Rp 147.7 trillion to 48 banks with liquidity problems.

Still happening

What happened then? According to the findings of the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK), there have been indications of irregularities

by these bankers involving Rp 138 trillion. They were assisted, BI was even slapped. Until now, the BLBI issue has not been resolved even though several key BI officials have been convicted.

ANTARA FOTO/INDRIANTO EKO SUWARSO

A woman with the initials MHN (center) arrives at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) building in Jakarta to undergo an inspection, Friday (3/7/2020). MHN was suspected of being a bribe provider for East Kutai Regent Ismunandar, who was nabbed in a sting operation in a case of alleged corruption in the procurement of goods and services in the East Kutai regency government, East Kalimantan.

It is always the case, the perpetrator of a crime never stops. This cash cow culture continues. In the era of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY), there was a case of Rp 6.7 trillion involving Bank Century. Until now, the solution is not clear.

In the era of President Jokowi, from 2014 to the present, the 1912 Bumiputera Insurance case broke out, which almost went bankrupt due to management errors. Following the Jiwasraya Insurance case that failed to pay the policy claim.

Actually, this insurance decay has been around since the 2000s, but was covered up. Most recently, apart from the corruption of social assistance funds worth Rp 17 trillion, there is also corruption in the state-owned PT Asabri (Social Insurance for the Armed Forces of the Republic of Indonesia) which was founded in 1971.

Also read: Score in Corruption Index Falls, Alarm bells ring for Corruption Eradication

The figure, according to the Attorney General\'s Office and the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK), reaches Rp 18 trillion.

What happened in the House of Representatives (DPR) as a state institution that is reportedly also corrupt is not discussed here. Public criticism at this institution is already rampant. Oh God, the more we explore the case, it is more tiring. The end of the bottom is not clear.

KOMPAS/

Syafii Maarif

Once again, what has saved Indonesia from total destruction was our generous nature. The location, thank God, is not south of Sahara Africa. Squeezed and milked, this Nusantara archipelago is still patient. But for how long will it last?

Ahmad Syafii Maarif, Chairman of Muhammadiyah 1998-2005

(This article was translated by Kurniawan Siswoko).