Corruption Emergency for Politicians

KOMPAS/HERU SRI KUMORO

United Development Party (PPP) General Chairman Romahurmuziy “Rommy” (in rear seat) departs the Jakarta headquarters of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Saturday (3/16/2019). Rommy has been named as a suspect of accepting bribes in exchange for positions at the Religious Affairs Ministry.

The arrest of Muhammad “Rommy” Romahurmuziy by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has added to the long list of politicians the anticorruption body has arrested.

Rommy, the general chairman of the United Development Party (PPP), is the fifth head of a political party to be arrested for corruption.

Previous arrests include Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) president Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq in 2013, Democratic Party chairman Anas Urbaningrum, also in 2013, PPP general chairman and Religious Affairs Minister Surya Dharma Ali, and Golkar Party general chairman and House of Representatives Speaker Setya Novanto. The KPK has also arrested leaders of state institutions such as Constitutional Court chief justice Akil Mochtar and Regional Representatives Council (DPD) Speaker Irman Gusman.

The KPK pursued public trials that found them guilty of corruption and sentenced to prison. In 2018, the anticorruption body arrested 21 regional heads. Almost all state officials – judges, prosecutors, police, lawyers, governors, ministers, ambassadors – of nearly all political parties have been involved in corruption cases, only excepting new parties.

We are now in a corruption emergency. The KPK’s arrest of a party chairman is not a disaster or misfortune. Such attitudes do not help in the efforts to clean up corruption in this country. Corruption, with all its derivatives, is the primary enemy of the nation. Corruption has contributed to poverty and creating gaps. Corrupt behavior has caused disgust among the public.

The commitment of political parties to fight corruption has long been awaited. We have observed inconsistency among political parties in their stance against corruption. In one instance when a party official was arrested by the KPK, the party accused the KPK of being selective in choosing its targets, that it was a conspiracy. However, at another time, the same party supported the KPK when those who were arrested were not from the party. This ambivalent attitude also does not help in the fight against corruption.

Some political parties have claimed that the high cost of political contests maintains the rampant corruption. While this could be true, it is not necessarily completely true. In many cases, corruption is the result of greed, of money grabbing, of the desire to get rich quick.

Therefore, in the midst of the political contest, we encourage the General Elections Commission (KPU) to pursue debate among political parties on the single issue of how to eradicate corruption in this country, and to ask for the parties’ commitment against corruption: What strategies do they offer, their prevention measures, and what to do if members of political parties are involved in corruption. The parties’ commitment is critical, because one of the nation\'s biggest problems is corruption among party elements.

To the KPK, we urge them to continue to clear this nation of corruption and demand severe penalties against its perpetrators, including revoking their political rights.