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Election organizers urged to report any unlawful gift giving
Clean elections: The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is calling on election organizers to report any bribery attempts related to regional elections later this year
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Clean elections: The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is calling on election organizers to report any bribery attempts related to regional elections later this year. (kompas.com) (KPK) is calling on election organizers to report any bribery attempts related to regional elections later this year. (kompas.com)
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span class="inline inline-center">Clean elections: The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is calling on election organizers to report any bribery attempts related to regional elections later this year. (kompas.com)
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has urged the General Elections Commission (KPU), the Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) and all their officials offices at provincial, regental and municipal levels to report any attempts to illegally influence the results of regional elections later this year.
With such efforts, the commission says, the nation-wide, simultaneous, direct elections will hopefully be spared from bribery practices.
'We want all election organizers from central to regional levels to first understand what constitutes 'unlawful gift giving',' said Asep Rahmat Suwandha, an official from the commission's bribery directorate, as quoted by kompas.com in a coordination meeting held at the Bawaslu office in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, on Tuesday.
Asep said it was very easy to determine whether or not a gift could be categorized as unlawful. 'He or she can just look at the gift, be it in the form of money, goods or services, examine it carefully and ask whether or not it is related to his or her position as a state official,' said Asep.
'For example, [I might ask myself] 'if I was not a KPK official, would they still give this gift to me?' If the answer is 'no', then it can be concluded that the gift is related to their position as a state official,' he went on.
Law No.20/2001 on corruption eradication has prohibited state officials from receive gifts related to their position. Article 128 (2) of the law stipulates that a state official who is found guilty of such can face a life sentence, or a maximum 20 years' imprisonment, and a minimum sentence of four years.
They also face a minimum fine of Rp 200 million (US$14,000) and a maximum fine of Rp 1 billion. However, Article 12C (1) of the law also stipulates that the legal sanctions will not be valid if the state official reports receiving the gift to the KPK.
'Therefore, we are calling on all of you report any suspicious gifts you receive to the KPK. This is for your own safety,' said Asep in the meeting.
The meeting was also attended by KPU and Bawaslu officials and other election stakeholders including the Indonesian Military, the National Police, the South Kalimantan Legislative Council (DPRD) and provincial administration and other organization and religious leaders. (ebf)(++++)
