W

hile struggling to manage the expected exodus from major cities of homebound Idul Fitri travelers, government officials also have to contend with the thorny issue of accepting Idul Fitri gifts.

The Central Java Corruption, Collusion and Nepotism Investigation and Eradication Committee (KP2KKN) accused Governor Bibit Waluyo of not supporting antigraft efforts after he said officials in his administration could accept gifts from members of the public.

“Gifts are another form of graft,” committee secretary Eko Haryanto told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

He expressed concern that while other provincial administrations such as West Java, Yogyakarta and South Sumatra banned administration officials from receiving holiday gifts, Bibit said he would not follow suit.

Bibit argued that giving gifts was an expression of compassion and friendship, and that it was a long-established practice.

“There is no need to issue a policy banning officials from receiving gifts,” Bibit said recently in Semarang, the provincial capital.

A similar view was also expressed by Central Java legislative council speaker Murdoko, who said the practice of giving gifts was about friendship and that the community needed to preserve such tradition.

“Don’t interpret it as a form of bribery. This is a good tradition worth preserving,” he said, adding that he would not call on colleague to turn down Idul Fitri gifts.

Murdoko said there had been no case of either the recipient or giver of a gift being found violating the
social message of the tradition.

Responding to the statements, Eko said giving gifts was not a tradition worth preserving. “It’s the sort of tradition that breeds corruption,” he said, adding that gifts could be categorized as gratuities under the 2001 Anticorruption Law.

“The gift parcels usually contain food, but who knows if there is also an envelope of money inside?” Eko said.

Article 12b of the law defines gratuities as the giving of money, goods, discounts, commissions, interest-free loans, tickets, accommodation, tours, free medication and others.

Eko said it was rare for government officials to receive gifts from their subordinates. In many cases they receive gifts from relations including businesspeople. “The KP2KKN is firmly against such practices,” he said.

The South Sumatra administration has warned officials not to receive gifts, but the legislative council voiced a different view.

Governor Alex Noerdin said last week in Palembang that the policy was issued in accordance with calls from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) made in 2007 to government officials to not receive any form of gratuities, including money or gifts, from colleagues or partners.

Alex also expressed hope that the ban would help improve public perception of widespread corruption in government institutions.

However, South Sumatra legislative council speaker Achmad Djauhari said councilors could receive gifts as long as the gifts were “not linked to bribery” that could lead to corruption.

“Gifts are usually just food. It’s not easy to turn it down. The council won’t ban councilors from receiving such gifts,” he said.