'€œWe are concerned about corrupt practices that have become systemic, and there must be a solution. The Yogyakarta program is the solution,'€ said KPK deputy chairman Busyro Muqoddas during the program launch on Tuesday, which coincided with National Awakening Day.

Busyro said the KPK launched the family-based corruption prevention program as its research had concluded that most corruption suspects had disjointed education, moral, or family backgrounds. In carrying out their crimes, most of the suspects arrested by the commission had involved their family members such as wives, children and other relatives.

'€œThis reflects that corruption, as a deed that violates religious teachings, has spread into the depths of family life,'€ said Busyro.

He said he hoped the corruption prevention program would instill greater respect for the values of integrity, modesty and sensitivity to surroundings in families. This, in turn, would help to protect families from widespread corrupt practices in society.

Busyro said that Prenggan subdistrict in Kotagede, Yogyakarta, would host the pilot program. Prenggan was chosen after a string of sociological, cultural and anthropological studies showed that communities in the area maintain relatively strong social control and cohesion.

Busyro said people in the subdistrict continued to uphold the principle that it was better to give than to receive. This could be seen from the practice of donating property for religious or community use, known as wakaf, a tradition that is still preserved.

"The program will run for three years and [then] we will evaluate the results," said Busyro, adding that the KPK would also launch the program in Bandung and West Java province. (ebf)

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