Brokerage common in House, MPs say

Abdul Khalik ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Thu, 07/03/2008 10:38 AM  |  Headlines

Being a House of Representatives lawmaker opens up the chance for lucrative moonlighting. Some lawmakers have taken time from their busy legislative schedule to act as middlemen for regional governments or companies seeking government contracts.

We can't deny that many lawmakers receive bribes," said Gayus Lumbuun of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), who is a deputy head of the House disciplinary council.

He was commenting on the arrests this year by the Corruption Eradication Commission of five legislators for allegedly receiving bribes: Saleh Djasit and Hamka Yandhu of the Golkar Party, Al Amin Nasution of the United Development Party (PPP), Sarjan Taher of the Democratic Party (PD) and Bulyan Royan of the Reform Star Party (PBR).

Gayus said the disciplinary council has so far found 37 out of 550 lawmakers were allegedly implicated in bribery in the past 12 months.

The practice looks like it has taken root.

"We must admit that what we have found so far is just the tip of the iceberg. Many of us do it (accept bribes). We are so underpaid that we can't contribute to the party and recover our election costs," Golkar lawmaker Harry Azhar Azis said Wednesday.

Harry said party members were expected to make huge contributions to be elected as to the House, while some party leaders demanded huge contributions from them as recompense for their support once they join the legislature.

Gayus said each PDI-P lawmaker must contribute at least Rp 5 million (US$538) of their monthly salary to the party.

Besides contributing to the party, lawmakers are also obliged to spend money on party activities in their electoral districts, including supporting regional elections.

Each lawmaker earns a basic monthly salary of Rp 4.2 million, but the take-home pay can reach Rp 50 million.

The temptation to turn into brokers is triggered by the fact that 33 provinces and 500 regencies and cities want their projects and programs to proceed without rejection from the House, Emerson Yuntho of Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) said.

"Many lawmakers also get money from regions across the country by approving proposals for the establishment of new regencies, municipalities and provinces," he said.

Besides brokering regional programs, some lawmakers admitted that they made profits on the legislative process, with charge rates set up for every law the government wants to be passed.

The most lucrative opportunity for lawmakers to get bribes is from the government procurement process by becoming brokers in determining which companies should supply equipment, they said.

With every ministry and its four or five directorates general, as well as dozens of state institution and state-owned enterprises purchasing thousands of pieces of equipment every year, are opportunities for lawmakers to get billions of rupiah from brokerage.

Political observer Indra J. Pilliang said the excessive authority of the House had opened up loopholes for the lawmakers to receive bribes.

"They can get involved in the execution of programs, or in procurement, through their right of budgetary control. As a controlling institution in a democracy they become a player rather than a referee. That jeopardizes the whole system," he said.

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