T

he Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is preparing follow-up measures after it conducted impromptu inspections last month in order to curb widespread corruption at low levels of the bureaucracy.

The KPK and several other parties conducted impromptu inspections at Terminal 2 of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, on July 25 and at an emissions-test center in Kedaung Kali Angke in West Jakarta on July 23.

From the inspections, the KPK found many forms of corruption were at play, including the extortion of migrant workers at the airport and illegal fees at the test center.

KPK deputy chairman Bambang Widjojanto said on Monday that the KPK would pay close attention to '€œpetty corruption cases'€ and would coordinate more intensively with relevant parties after evaluating the results of the inspections.

He said that for the airport case, the KPK would involve Migrant Care to give the commission a better perspective on the case.

'€œ[The KPK] has arranged a meeting with Migrant Care this week,'€ Bambang told reporters at the KPK office.

Migrant Care plans to present migrant workers who experienced extortion to make statements, he said, adding that the NGO had studies on such cases and the KPK wanted input from it.

'€œ[The KPK] wants to integrate our studies with their studies,'€ he added.

In addition, the KPK will review the effectiveness of the Agency for the Placement and Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (BNP2TKI) in protecting migrant workers, he said.

As for the test center case, the KPK promised to reveal the result of the impromptu inspection and its study on it this month, so there would be better governance procedures at every test center in the country, he added.

Migrant Care legal aid coordinator Musliha Rofik acknowledged that the NGO had ample data on the extortion of migrant workers at the airport as the practice had been going on for a long time.

When asked about the BNP2TKI'€™s performance, she said the agency had to improve its performance because it was responsible for protecting migrant workers.

BNP2TKI head Gatot Abdullah Mansyur said the agency would conduct a coordination meeting with 15 relevant parties, such as Angkasa Pura, the immigration office and the police, on Tuesday in relation to the case.

The agency will be more careful in performing its duties and had announced its readiness to cooperate with any parties to prevent such practices, he said, adding that he would sanction any of his staff involved in such practices.

However, Gatot emphasized the importance of cooperation between relevant parties, such as the police and its Criminal Investigations Directorate, because the agency was not authorized to crack down on the culprits. (ask)