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Megawati Lambastes Indonesians For Corruption, urges An End To Its Practice
By Kazi Mahmood, IOL South East Asia Correspondent
JAKARTA, March 24 (IslamOnline) - Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri said Saturday that some Indonesians had lost their pride and had no sense of shame, when it came to corruption, collusion and nepotism (KKN).
Focussing her attack on corrupt practices that, officials say, was practiced at all levels in the country, the President said such practices should end if the country want to progress further.
Amid growing criticism and polls indicating worsening graft practices in the country under her leadership, Megawati told her supporters to help stop these practices.
Speaking in front of tens of thousands supporters of her Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Megawati said that party members and supporters should become part of the solution to end corruption, not become the corrupters themselves.
She said law enforcers, legislators, government officials and businesspeople, who did not want to be held accountable for their past crimes, were examples of those who want to continue with corruption.
"Some people in our community have lost their pride and have no shame. They don't want to admit their mistakes," Megawati said in front of some 3,000 party supporters.
Indonesia has been labeled as one of the most corrupt nation on earth, some agencies even claim it is the fifth corrupt country worldwide.
The Megawati government has tried, since it took power on July last year, to try limit and discourage corruption. Yet its efforts have sometimes fallen deaf on the ears of government officials and businessmen.
"As the ruling party we should never lead our country into bankruptcy. We should never repeat the mistakes made by the previous regimes," the president said in her speech during the celebration of the 29th anniversary of her party.
"Never be part of the problem of corruption, collusion and nepotism. We choose to fight against such practices, so never attempt to do those things that we are opposed to," the President said.
Accusations are rife that most government officials were trying to amass funds by exploiting their position in the government for the sake of their own parties ahead of the coming general election in 2004.
It is well known in Indonesia that such practices are part of the reasons why decision making is hampered in the country, slowing down economic recovery.
Megawati has been under intense criticism over some decisions that has made her party unpopular and her leadership less appreciated.
However, she defended her decision to postpone the establishment of a House special committee to probe the alleged misuse of funds by Golkar Party chairman and House Speaker Akbar Tandjung.
She insisted that the law should come forward in fighting corruption.
"It is impossible for the nation to uphold the law if we never give space for the law to serve ... We have to use the momentum to uphold the law and fight corruption at the same time," she remarked.
Megawati has reportedly told her party leaders to postpone, and even squash, the establishment of such an inquiry.
The reason cited has always been to allow the legal process to proceed without being hampered by political intervention.
The move to squash the inquiry team is perceived by some as a means to prevent her administration's collapse, as she is leading a coalition government.
Indonesia is a Muslim nation with 212 million people, 90 percent of which is of Islamic faith. It is the largest South East Asian nation with a territory that spans over thousands of islands.
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