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EDITORIAL: Mega e-ID saga
But as in the case of the e-ID case, which the Jakarta Corruption Court is now hearing, the policy aiming for efficiency could instead result in huge state losses.
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Panel of judges during the first trial of the corruption case related to the multimillion dollar procurement of electronic IDs (e-KTP) at Jakarta Corruption Court on March 9. (AP/Safrin La Batu)
I
n this digital era, electronic identification (ID) is a must now that Indonesia is moving toward single identity numbers to speed up the public administration’s delivery of other services. But as in the case of the e-ID case, which the Jakarta Corruption Court is now hearing, the policy aiming for efficiency could instead result in huge state losses.
The court began on Thursday the trial of two former Home Ministry officials accused of swindling the state budget allocated for the procurement of e-IDs nationwide. Of Rp 5.9 trillion (US$443 million) in taxpayers’ money earmarked for the project, Rp 2.3 trillion was believed to have gone to dirty hands. Judging by the amount of state losses inflicted and the big names implicated, the e-ID saga is reminiscent of the Bank Century bailout.
Because of the litany of political bigwigs named in the e-ID case, the impact of the trial could be as devastating to our political landscape as that of the Bank Century case, which would make the public suffer more. In 2009, investigations into the Bank Century bailout “only” created a protracted political tantrum that sapped the nation’s time and energy and, worse, left many questions unanswered even until today.
Many have speculated, therefore, that the much-awaited meeting between President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and his predecessor Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Thursday could not be separated from efforts to mitigate the shockwaves the e-ID graft case is sending.
The public would see how the political elite, who were known to be unable to resist the temptation of mouthwatering projects like the national e-ID card procurement, negotiate with, if not fight, each other to survive the repercussions of the case. Such a possibility was much anticipated as political parties have started to prepare for the simultaneous legislative and presidential elections in mid-2019, roughly two years from now.
As a starter, the e-ID case would be tiring enough — state prosecutors have planned to present over 130 out of 300 witnesses to testify in court in the trial of former highranking Home Ministry officials Sugiharto and Irman. Either the defendants or witnesses may drag more figures into the game, allowing the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to take other suspects to court.
Like previous graft cases involving both the executive and legislative branches of power, the e-ID case portrays the collusion to abuse power, which voters have entrusted to public officials. For the umpteenth time, the fight against corruption envisioned by the sweeping reform in 1998 has been betrayed and the nation’s march toward a full-fledged democracy faces a severe threat.
