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akarta Deputy Governor Basuki '€œAhok'€ Tjahaja Purnama and state-owned power company PT PLN director Nur Pamudji have received the prestigious 2013 Bung Hatta Anti-Corruption Award (BHACA) for their efforts in combating graft in their respective institutions.

The award committee said that both figures had maintained courage and consistency in fighting graft.

Committee member Betty Alisjahbana said Ahok had been consistent in his stance on graft since he served as regent of Belitung Timur in Bangka Belitung province.

'€œHe cut 20 percent of the regional budget intended for development programs involving giant contractors and used the fund for programs dedicated to improving prosperity for locals,'€ she said.

Betty said that Ahok had repeated what he had done in Belitung Timur, publishing details from the local budget, in Jakarta.

Ahok was also credited with creating an online system for public services and business permit issuance to avoid red tape, soon after he was elected Jakarta Deputy Governor.

'€œHe is now planning to create electronic budgeting [e-budgeting] to avoid markups and fictitious programs in the city budget,'€ Betty said.

The Jakarta administration has introduced several ways to improve budgeting and procurement systems in city agencies.

Ahok, who attended the ceremony, said he was grateful for the award but that it was not necessary.

He said that being '€œclean'€ and having integrity should be basic qualities of government officials. '€œNot being corrupt should be part of our job,'€ he said.

Ahok, however, said the award was important to motivate people to be honest and could be used as a yardstick by which public officials should be measured.

Ahok received a similar award from the Indonesia Transparency Society in 2007.

As for PLN Director Nur Pamudji, the committee selected him because he initiated systematic efforts to curb corruption attempts in his company, which is known as a den of corruption.

'€œNur cooperates with Transparency International Indonesia to review goods procurement and customer service,'€ Betty said.

He also cooperated with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to educate company staffers on anticorruption measures.

Nur said he was surprised to be selected for the award. '€œI can'€™t believe that our efforts were appreciated,'€ he said.

Nur said he took a moment before deciding whether or not he would accept the award. '€œHowever, I think it is important to motivate all officials in my company to maintain their integrity and to be free from corruption,'€ he said.

The award committee said candidates for the award were selected from among dozens of names.

'€œWe initially received nominations from the public and then picked seven individuals. Then, the judges examined and verified the candidates to choose the winner,'€ she said.

The Bung Hatta Anti-Corruption Award Foundation was established in 2003. It first granted the award to national hero, the late Moh. Yamin, former KPK deputy chairman Erry Riyana Hardjapamekas and Tempo journalist Karaniya Dharmasaputra in 2003. In the following year, it honored Home Minister Gamawan Fauzi, then West Sumatra Governor and legal expert Saldi Isra.

Jakarta Governor Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo also received the award in 2010.