T

he House of Representatives'€™ decision to award each member a constituency fund will enable corruption to a degree that is insulting to the Indonesian public.

To become a member of the House, it is common knowledge that you must pay a percentage of funds to the party that supports you (win or lose) and for political campaigning (one of the very few times that a T-shirt can cost up to US$50 to produce).

There are, of course, high-interest money lenders ready to provide the cash, but with a return policy of less than half a year and interest of almost 30 percent per month, what choice do indebted legislators have, considering that collectively they couldn'€™t punch their way out of a paper bag?

A harsher counterbalance system against government officials of all levels would weed out the most corrupt, as would mandatory publication of wealth and tax returns and a special court (with unknown, and therefore incorruptible, judges) to prosecute money laundering and tax evasion.

After these measures have been introduced, then, perhaps, a constituency fund could be considered.

Although it would probably still be a waste of money.

Deddy K
Jakarta