Activists of the Anti-Corruption Civil Society Coalition stage a placard demonstration at the headquarters of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in Jakarta on Tuesday. They are demanding that the case involving the acid attack on senior KPK investigator Novel Baswedan should be thoroughly investigated and solved.
Disasters have been exploited for corruption. Not only do the perpetrators misuse funds and aid projects, but they also have the heart to extort victims of the disasters.
It seems as if there is no longer any "taboo" place for perpetrators of corruption to commit their deeds. After activities related to "divinity", such as the procurement of Korans and pilgrimage packages, humanitarian assistance for victims of disasters has now become a target of corruption.
The three most recent disasters to hit Indonesia were all tainted by instances of corruption. In the earthquakes in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, regional legislative council (DPRD) members and employees of the West Lombok Religious Affairs Office were arrested by police in Mataram. DPRD members allegedly blackmailed the heads of education offices and contractors related to projects for the reconstruction of school buildings, while employees of the religious affairs office cut funds for the construction of mosques after the earthquake.
Following the earthquake and tsunami in Palu and Donggala, Central Sulawesi, it was the turn for the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to arrest entrepreneurs and officials at the Ministry of Public Works and Housing. They were involved in bribery cases, including one connected to the construction of a drinking water supply system for victims of the disasters.
The most recent case is related to the Sunda Strait tsunami. Police have named several employees of the Drajat Prawiranegara Regional General Hospital (RSUD) in Serang suspects of corruption. They allegedly charged illegal levies in the process of handling the bodies of tsunami victims.
Three opportunities for corruption
Opportunities for corruption arise not just at the time of the disaster, but also before and after it. There are at least three points to watch out for. First, there is the pre-disaster phase. In this phase, the target of corruption is the procurement of equipment or training projects related to disaster mitigation. Corruption in the construction of tsunami shelters in Labuan, Pandeglang, Banten, are a case in point. They were built with Rp 18 billion from the state budget (APBN) with the aim of minimizing casualties but proved useless when a tsunami actually hit the area.
The second phase to watch is the emergency response phase. This phase is the most vulnerable, because projects and activities are carried out in the midst of a busy situation to help disaster victims. Procurement must be carried out quickly and on a massive scale. Patterns of corruption, such as price mark-ups and manipulation of the beneficiaries are easy to do.
The third phase prone to corruption is the post-disaster or rehabilitation phase. In this phase, the potential for corruption is very large, because it involves large amounts of money, especially for rehabilitation activities or the construction of permanent and temporary housing. Besides bribery as in
cases involving officials from the Ministry of Public Work and Housing, other modes of corruption are mark-ups, fictitious construction or a reduction in specifications.
A lack of supervision makes disaster-related assistance so susceptible to misuse. All prefer to concentrate on finding and saving victims as well as collecting and distributing aid. Moreover, many believe that no one would have the heart and audacity to take advantage of a disaster. A lack of public information exacerbates the risk of corruption in this situation.
Another factor is the flexibility of the government to make direct appointments in the provision of assistance, especially in the emergency response phase. This mechanism helps to quickly respond to the needs of victims, but it is highly prone to fraud when compared to a tender process. Without supervision, collusion in the determination of tender winners, prices and aid recipients is quite likely.
Therefore, it is very clear that corruption exacerbates the impact of disasters and aggravates the suffering of victims. This disgraceful practice is the culprit for the failure of efforts to minimize damage and the number of victims, and it hinders post-disaster rehabilitation, especially in the construction of housing and public facilities.
One of the efforts to combat disaster corruption is severe punishment of perpetrators. Apart from the death penalty that is now being considered by the KPK leadership, severe prison sentences could create a deterrent effect. A maximum prison sentence and impoverishment will make anyone think twice about abusing disaster assistance funds. The Corruption Law has opened up that space.
Besides sanctions, increasing supervision and governance of disaster funds is also important. Procurement and other activities should not all be completely closed just because they occur in the context of a disaster. The government can learn from institutions or community groups that independently collect and distribute aid when disaster strikes. They routinely and openly announce donations and their use.
Danger sign
Corruption has begun to run out of control and spread to many sectors. If it is not seriously addressed, it is quite possible that the situation will get worse yet. According to Syed Hussain Alatas (1981), corruption can enter stage three, or the emergency stage, where it spreads widely and is deeply entrenched in political and social systems.
A corruption disaster will lead to far greater disasters. Public services are disrupted, politics becomes increasingly expensive, poverty increases and the environment is damaged. There are many examples of failed states because governments could not control corruption.
A strong commitment from state leaders and the involvement of all parties in the fight against corruption is key to preventing corruption. Indonesia already has capital, such as the KPK, which continues to dismantle political corruption, and national strategies to prevent corruption (Stranas PK), which can serve as a guide and synergize efforts of all groups to prevent and fight corruption.
(Ade Irawan, Anti-Corruption Academy Activist, Indonesia Corruption Watch)
