An Austrian writer, Karl Kraus, once said that corruption is worse than prostitution. The latter might endanger the morals of an individual while the former the entire country.
There’s no qualm that the statement is indisputably true. Corruption poses threat that arguably causes as much harm to human lives as weapons of mass destruction. Corruption decays and destroys a country.
The fact that more graft cases continue to come to light only shows that the lure of easy money is really hard to resist. We reel in utter disgust to watch more and more crooked politicians, officials and business alike caught in action of such crime.
We still have the bitter taste of bile in our throat when we learnt the case of Gayus Tambunan, a former tax official jailed for corruption, a few years back. He is as slimy and slippery as an eel, as cunning as a fox; bribing his way out of jails dozens of times. Money buys almost all, including law enforcers.
The case has gripped the nation. It has opened a window on government corruption, and damaged the president's reputation as an anti-graft reformer. He’s just a tiny dot in the tip of the iceberg apparently. More and more officials were found guilty of corrupt practices.
While the case still feels afresh in our memory, we were again rocked by a corruption scandal allegedly committed by one of the directorate general of taxation’s officers, who has been dubbed “the next Gayus” in 2012. We screamed at the top of our voice; “Oh Dear Lord, it happens again!”
Then, recently we are stunned for the dozens time when a few weeks ago, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested two tax officials, for allegedly accepting bribes from a steel company. What a terrible long exhausting drama to watch! We have just enough, yet we feel powerless to stop the drama.
We instantly feel our pulse pounding in our brain, our face droop in dismay and utter disgust. The bitter taste of frustration rose! It seems that to put an end to corruption is like the task of Sisyphus.
Corruption is steadily ruining our nation. It remains deep-rooted within political parties, the parliament, the government institutions, the courts and the police force. These white collar criminals betray the good people, pocketing the profits and treating us like sheep. We’re too exhausting of hearing empty promises from them.
Along with crooked businessmen, they steal billions of rupiahs of public money, depriving national and local governments of resources to provide proper health care, sanitation, education and other vital services. They are like parasites that suck the life of their hosts steadily. They deceive every honest people who work so hard to pay their taxes for the sake of the public welfare.
To combat such a pervasive scourge, even with concerted efforts, prove to be so hard. Despite the bigger role played by the KPK, the civil society and the media in the fight against corruption, the epidemic remains thriving.
The annual corruption index has consistently ranked Indonesia among the most corrupt countries. The latest index released by the Transparency International in December 2012 put Indonesia in the group of 56 countries where corruption remains deep-rooted.
Thus far, the law against corruption has not significantly deterred people from committing the crime. The corruption courts were often allegedly being far too lenient with graft convicts.
No maximum sentence has ever been handed down, not to mention generous remissions reserved for these convicts. Most of these criminals are still able to enjoy luxurious life even in jail, and make use of their illegal amassed wealth in carefree. The heaviest sentence ever imposed on a politician convicted of corruption sentenced was given to suspended Golkar Party lawmaker for 15 years’ imprisonment for his role in the Koran procurement scandal.
For that reason, punishment for corruption crime should bear deterrent aspect to incur fraudsters’ fear of the legal consequences of their acts. If the penalty is severe such as outstripping them of their illegal wealth and with maximum sentence of up to 30 years in prison, people will think thrice even more before committing the crime.
In addition, to win the battle against corruption, more strategic and rigorous measures are compulsory. This action is to identify and address the underlying causes of the crime in order to examine the weaknesses in key institutions and government policies and practices.
These efforts should focus on the broader context of governance and accountability. Only then can we see the many other shapes and forms corruption can take and address this epidemic.
The civil society, NGO and media should constantly monitor and scrutinize these efforts, and file a report for any discrepancies. The active participation of the public and media has proved to be effective in putting pressures for the government in its fight against corrupt practices. Enough is enough.
And at the end of the day, the political will of policymakers holds the key in the fight against graft and its allies.
There’s no qualm that the statement is indisputably true. Corruption poses threat that arguably causes as much harm to human lives as weapons of mass destruction. Corruption decays and destroys a country.
The fact that more graft cases continue to come to light only shows that the lure of easy money is really hard to resist. We reel in utter disgust to watch more and more crooked politicians, officials and business alike caught in action of such crime.
We still have the bitter taste of bile in our throat when we learnt the case of Gayus Tambunan, a former tax official jailed for corruption, a few years back. He is as slimy and slippery as an eel, as cunning as a fox; bribing his way out of jails dozens of times. Money buys almost all, including law enforcers.
The case has gripped the nation. It has opened a window on government corruption, and damaged the president's reputation as an anti-graft reformer. He’s just a tiny dot in the tip of the iceberg apparently. More and more officials were found guilty of corrupt practices.
While the case still feels afresh in our memory, we were again rocked by a corruption scandal allegedly committed by one of the directorate general of taxation’s officers, who has been dubbed “the next Gayus” in 2012. We screamed at the top of our voice; “Oh Dear Lord, it happens again!”
Then, recently we are stunned for the dozens time when a few weeks ago, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested two tax officials, for allegedly accepting bribes from a steel company. What a terrible long exhausting drama to watch! We have just enough, yet we feel powerless to stop the drama.
We instantly feel our pulse pounding in our brain, our face droop in dismay and utter disgust. The bitter taste of frustration rose! It seems that to put an end to corruption is like the task of Sisyphus.
Corruption is steadily ruining our nation. It remains deep-rooted within political parties, the parliament, the government institutions, the courts and the police force. These white collar criminals betray the good people, pocketing the profits and treating us like sheep. We’re too exhausting of hearing empty promises from them.
Along with crooked businessmen, they steal billions of rupiahs of public money, depriving national and local governments of resources to provide proper health care, sanitation, education and other vital services. They are like parasites that suck the life of their hosts steadily. They deceive every honest people who work so hard to pay their taxes for the sake of the public welfare.
To combat such a pervasive scourge, even with concerted efforts, prove to be so hard. Despite the bigger role played by the KPK, the civil society and the media in the fight against corruption, the epidemic remains thriving.
The annual corruption index has consistently ranked Indonesia among the most corrupt countries. The latest index released by the Transparency International in December 2012 put Indonesia in the group of 56 countries where corruption remains deep-rooted.
Thus far, the law against corruption has not significantly deterred people from committing the crime. The corruption courts were often allegedly being far too lenient with graft convicts.
No maximum sentence has ever been handed down, not to mention generous remissions reserved for these convicts. Most of these criminals are still able to enjoy luxurious life even in jail, and make use of their illegal amassed wealth in carefree. The heaviest sentence ever imposed on a politician convicted of corruption sentenced was given to suspended Golkar Party lawmaker for 15 years’ imprisonment for his role in the Koran procurement scandal.
For that reason, punishment for corruption crime should bear deterrent aspect to incur fraudsters’ fear of the legal consequences of their acts. If the penalty is severe such as outstripping them of their illegal wealth and with maximum sentence of up to 30 years in prison, people will think thrice even more before committing the crime.
In addition, to win the battle against corruption, more strategic and rigorous measures are compulsory. This action is to identify and address the underlying causes of the crime in order to examine the weaknesses in key institutions and government policies and practices.
These efforts should focus on the broader context of governance and accountability. Only then can we see the many other shapes and forms corruption can take and address this epidemic.
The civil society, NGO and media should constantly monitor and scrutinize these efforts, and file a report for any discrepancies. The active participation of the public and media has proved to be effective in putting pressures for the government in its fight against corrupt practices. Enough is enough.
And at the end of the day, the political will of policymakers holds the key in the fight against graft and its allies.
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