TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - In this reform era, it is ironic that corruption is flourishing again. The huge corruption scandal over the supply of electronic KTPs (ID cards) is proof of this. This was no trivial embezzlement. The state funds stolen by the corruptors came to Rp2.3 trillion--an amount only 'superseded' by the Bank Century case, which is estimated to have cost Rp7 trillion. What is truly embarrassing is that the people responsible were ministry officials, members of the House of Representatives (DPR) and the political parties--the very three institutions that should be on the front line in the fight to eradicate corruption.
The lion's share of responsibility must be laid at the feet of the legislators in DPR--irrespective of whether they have returned the bribes or not. They are the very people who should have ascertained that this vital program was clean and benefited the people. But a Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigation has shown that these lawmakers were the greediest of the lot, when it came to helping themselves to almost half the value of the e-KTP project.
Another 'record' broken in this case is the number of DPR members believed to have taken bribes: 51 members of the Commission on Government Affairs, plus several members of the legislative Budget Committee. These people have lost any moral right to represent the people in the DPR--although they usually manage to remain in parliament by using a variety of excuses.
There is something special about this case. Three political parties stand accused of receiving part of the spoils: the Democrat Party, Golkar and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P). Based on the charge sheets read out during the criminal proceedings last week, Rp150 billion went to the Democrats and Golkar, while Rp80 billion was paid to the PDI-P. These bribes are believed to have entered party coffers, not simply the pockets of the lawmakers. If the parties are proved guilty of wrongdoing, the court should punish them. All three parties should impose tough sanctions on any party managers involved. The public could also reconsider their support for parties involved in the scandal in future elections.
We must also not forget Setya Novanto. The KPK investigation revealed the active role of this DPR speaker and the businessmen reportedly close to him, namely Andi Agustinus alias Andi Narogong, former Democrat Party chairman Anas Urbaningrum and treasurer Muhammad Nazaruddin, from the same party. These veteran politicians are believed to have planned the whole conspiracy. Testimony and evidence has shown that these four individuals planned the plundering of the e-KTP project a year before the funding was proposed to the DPR. The KPK should immediately indict them for corruption.
Setya Novanto deserves to be on the e-KTP charge sheet along with his associates. But it is important to remember that not a single law enforcement official has managed to find any direct evidence of the involvement of this experienced Golkar politician in any of the corruption cases he has been linked with. There was the 2004 price manipulation over the import of rice from Vietnam and the 2012 embezzlement of the National Sports Week budget in Riau. But allowing a politician with such a 'tainted' reputation to occupy the most honored position in the DPR, does not set a good political example.
The public needs to keep an eye on the progress of the e-KTP case to ensure it does not grind to a halt. Testimony in court will become the basis for KPK investigators to snare other corruptors. Given the heavy workload of the KPK and the Corruption Court judges in ensuring that this case comes to a proper end, President Joko Widodo must also step in. The president could send a message to all concerned not to disrupt the legal proceedings. Although there are indications that his own party is involved, the president should keep his distance and underline his support for the KPK.
The trial of the e-KTP corruption case could become an important milestone in the effort to rid Indonesia of corruption. People have become blasé about reading report after report about the permissive conduct of DPR lawmakers with regards to bribery and corruption. Admittedly, quite a few corruptors have been arrested, tried and jailed, but nothing seems to change. The massive level of corruption in this e-KTP case has been uncovered by the KPK before, in the bribery related to the selection of the Bank Indonesia deputy governor in 2004, and the embezzlement of funds for the construction of the Hambalang sports training center in 2010. But those politicians suspected of taking bribes remain untouched by the law.
Repeating this bad precedent would only make the future of corruption eradication even bleaker. Therefore, tough sentences for all those found guilty of corruption in the e-KTP case might rekindle people's hopes of seeing a better Indonesia. (*)
Read the full story in this week's edition of Tempo English Magazine
