Anti-graft award 'premature'

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Mon, 04/23/2007 3:13 PM

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's efforts to combat corruption in the country have not been sufficient enough to justify receiving an award for anti-graft campaigning, activists say.

Deputy national coordinator of the Indonesian Corruption Watch Ridaya La Ode Ngkowe said that two law-enforcement agencies under the President, the National Police and the Attorney General's Office (AGO), had produced disappointing results within the first two and a half years of Yudhoyono's administration.

""The two agencies have not handled many high-profile graft cases. Maybe if they had handled as many cases as the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Yudhoyono may have deserved an award for his efforts in combating graft,"" Ridaya told The Jakarta Post on the weekend.

Ridaya was commenting on a decision by the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) to present Yudhoyono with an award for being a leading figure in the fight against corruption.

The award was presented Friday in a ceremony to commemorate the ninth anniversary of PKS.

After the ceremony, PKS chairman Tifatul Sembiring said the award was presented to Yudhoyono to motivate him to work harder in the fight against corruption. Tifatul said the presentation of the award was not politically-motivated.

However, Ridaya said he doubted that in his remaining years in office, Yudhoyono would intensify his efforts to campaign against graft.

""The President has entangled himself in a political web that may prevent him from being effective in campaigning against corruption,"" Ridaya said, referring to the coalition Yudhoyono built with allegedly corrupt political parties that serves as the foundation for his government.

As a result of this coalition, Yudhoyono has ignored the fact that some of his ministers are allegedly involved in corruption.

Justice and Human Rights Minister Hamid Awaluddin and State Secretary Yusril Ihza Mahendra have found themselves in hot water recently over their alleged involvement in recovering assets belonging to Hutomo ""Tommy"" Mandala Putra from a French-based bank in England.

Executive director of the Civil Circle for Indonesia (LIMA) Ray Rangkuti said that presenting Yudhoyono with an anti-graft award was inappropriate because Yudhoyono seems to be losing motivation in the fight against graft.

Ray said that an indication of this lies in the fact that many suspected corruptors are walking free from corruption charges or are being handed lenient punishments.

""Members of civil society are becoming frustrated because their attempts to report corruption cases have hit the wall and alleged corruptors are walking free,"" Ray told the Post.

Ray said that KPK chairman Taufiequrrahman Ruki's statement claiming the commission has not been receiving support from the government and the House of Representatives is indicative of the fact that the fight against corruption in the country is at risk.

He suggested that future anti-graft awards be presented to individuals who work hard to uncover corrupt practices in government agencies.

""Eradicating corruption is part of the government's job, so why give an award for something that they are required to do anyway?"" Ray asked. (JP/M. Taufiqurrahman)

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