Accelerate Fulfillment of Reform Promises

Indonesia has relatively been on the right track. However, acceleration is needed to improve the country’s Human Development Index and resolve problems, including social gaps and corruption.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

Community figures, workers, artists and activists mark the 20th anniversary of the Reform Movement on Monday (21/5/2018) at the National Monument (Monas) in Jakarta. During the commemorative event, they reminded the government to develop upon the spirit and objectives of Reform from which it had deviated, including gross human rights violations, workers\' rights, social inequality and other issues, such as the rampant corruption in the country.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – During the Reform Era of the past 20 years, Indonesia has become a democratic country, especially in terms of norms and regulations. However, several improvements are deemed urgent.

The acceleration of improvements is necessary in eradicating corruption, closing the income gap and improving Human Development Index (HDI).

Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko said in Jakarta on Monday (21/5/2018) that the three areas remained huge challenges for the nation.

Indonesia’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI) in 2017 was 37. This was an increase from those in previous years, despite it still being lower than the global and ASEAN averages of 43 and 41, respectively. The CPI score spans from 0 (very corrupt) to 100 (very clean).

Meanwhile, Indonesia’s HDI was 70.81 in 2017. This means that Indonesia is in the category of countries with high HDI (above 70). However, Regional Autonomy Watch (KPPOD) data shows that 18 provinces have mid- or low-range HDIs.

Indonesia’s Gini ratio in 2017 was 0.391 – higher than 0.311 in 1999. The Gini ratio spans from 0 to 1, with 1 signifying the worst gap.

Numerous steps

Moeldoko said the government had taken numerous steps to resolve corruption, social gaps and increase HDI. To eradicate corruption, for instance, the government has established the illegal levy eradication task force (Saber Pungli) and strengthened preventive regulations.

To reduce gaps, the government has launched affirmative policies and programs that directly target the poorest social groups. This is done, for instance, through distributing Indonesia Smart Cards (KIP), Indonesia Health Cards (KIS) and the Family Hope Program (PKH).

Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef) director Enny Sri Hartati said the government had issued several policies to improve equality in welfare, including facilitating the people in obtaining funding through the microcredit program (KUR). However, without facilitated market access, micro and small businesses are still having difficulties in competing with bigger businesses. “Smalltime food businesses, for instance, have obtained funding but it’s still difficult for them to find markets as markets are dominated by big retailers,” Enny said.

To reduce such inequality, the government should also create programs to ensure equal access for all people.

Enny said this step should be taken immediately as economic and welfare problems could lead to bigger problems, such as violence, intolerance, terrorism and lack of trust toward the government or the state.

Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) political researcher Syamsuddin Haris said the high level of gaps in Indonesia was worsened by the high level of corruption on state budget. Therefore, corruption eradication was another important factor in resolving gaps.

Corruption eradication in Indonesia is relatively on the right track right now. This is reflected in Indonesia’s CPI increase from 20 in 1999 to 37 in 2017, on a scale of 0 to 100.

However, Transparency International Indonesia (TII) secretary general DadangTrisasongko said that Indonesia’s CPI increase was relatively slow. “Acceleration is necessary and the main actor is the government,” he said.

Autonomy

One aspect that must be accelerated in corruption eradication is safeguarding state budget that circulates in regions.

KPPOD executive director Robert Endi Jaweng said this was because the implementation of regional autonomy – one of the fruits of the Reform era – resulted in 36 percent of the state budget being distributed to regions. There are concerns that portions of the budget are corrupted, as is reflected from the many cases of regional leaders ensnared in corruption cases.

The state budget is mostly used for personnel expenditures and bureaucratic operational expenses. Consequently, only a small amount of the budget reaches the people. If this is neglected, it can reduce the effectiveness and benefits of regional autonomy.

Between 1998 and the early 2000s, the implementation of regional autonomy served to solve regional conflicts and reduce threats of regional disintegration. Nowadays, regional autonomy has significantly improved public services.

However, the fundamental goals of autonomy, namely increasing human quality and people’s welfare, have yet to be truly achieved. Endi said that 18 provinces still had low or medium CPI.

“Decentralization of fiscals, administration and politics are in place but their contributions to economic development have yet to be felt,” Endi said.

Herlambang P. Wiratraman, head of the center of law and human rights studies at Airlangga University’s School of Law in Surabaya, said the biggest challenge was to implement clean regional autonomy. “During the New Order, law enforcement and the military were used to support those in power. Nowadays, several regional heads use the same tactics. The difference is that the thuggery is institutionalized these days. Authoritarianism still exists to a certain scale in the regions. The reality is the same as in the new Order but the actors are different,” he said.

State of Law

Another urgent thing, Herlambang said, was the strengthening of principles of the state of law. These principles are the hallmarks of democratization.

Other than corruption, impunity remains a huge problem that must be resolved in a state of law. “Impunity leads to discriminatory behavior to those close to the circles of power. When they violate the law, they are not punished. Impunity violates the principle of equality before the law,” Herlambang said.

Amnesty International Indonesia executive director Usman Hamid said resolving gross past human rights violations remained a relevant request for the government.

“If the government continues to neglect these cases of gross human rights violations, we will lose the opportunity to learn from our past experiences and have difficulties in anticipating a repeat of past mistakes,” he said.

(NTA/GAL/AGE/IAN/REK/MHD/APA)