Slank rocks for corruption fight

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Tue, 03/25/2008 12:44 PM  |  Headlines

SLANK FIGHT CORRUPTION: (JP/J. Adiguna)

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is known for many things, but rocking is not one of them. That all changed Monday when the commission's office in Jakarta was besieged by an army of "Slankers".

For at least 30 minutes a crowd of people danced and sang along with popular rock band Slank outside the KPK office.

Slank, made up of Kaka, Bimbim, Abdee, Ivan and Ridho, set up a stage on the stairs leading to the graft body's office on Jl. Rasuna Said in South Jakarta.

A large red banner which read Bangkit Melawan Korupsi (Rise Against Corruption) was unfurled beside the stage.

"We're here to show that we fully back the KPK and we'll keep singing to say that corruption is not just a crime, but a betrayal of everyone," Slank vocalist Kaka said.

Slank sang five anti-corruption themed songs, including "Birokrasi Kompleks" (Complex Bureaucracy) and "Tong Kosong" (Empty Barrel).

After the show, KPK deputy head of prosecution Chandra Hamzah appeared on stage and urged other musicians and artists to join Slank in combating graft.

Slank presented Chandra with a compilation CD titled Slank AntiKorupsi (Slank Anti-Corruption), which contains 13 anti-corruption themed tracks.

"We are concerned with corruption, which is so ingrained in this country, so we are giving this CD to the KPK," Kaka said, adding that the CD was not for sale.

Also performing was veteran singer Kris Biantoro, who also plans to compile a CD of anti-corruption themed songs.

"This country did not know corruption before it became a union and this is very sad ... so I picked several traditional songs that I will re-record in a show of support for the KPK campaign," said Kris, who turns 70 this month.

"I hope that in every corruption trial, people will play these songs." (anw)

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