REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Indonesia's anti-graft agency has urged political parties to establish a code of ethics to guarantee the integrity of party members and prevent them from committing corrupt acts.
"If political parties would like to be clean, they must first improve themselves by taking a simple decision to establish a code of ethics and a code of conduct," the chief of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Abraham Samad, said when speaking at the fifth leadership meeting of the Golkar Party here on Saturday.
He added that it was very important for political parties to establish a code of ethics because they are one of the pillars of a democratic state.
Samad said all party members have prepared to become state officials from the time they were elected as members of the House of Representatives (DPR).
In view of that, the integrity of every political party cadre must be preserved and kept free of corrupt acts.
Based on a code of ethics, the party would have the authority to act against members violating the code.
Abraham Samad also asked the Golkar Party to lead in the effort by formulating its code of ethics and code of conduct and enforcing them.
"I think Golkar, as an old party, must begin this so its cadres will remain clean and their integrity preserved," he said.
In response to the suggestion, Golkar Party general chairman Aburizal Bakrie said that Golkar already has a code of ethics covering its achievements, dedication of party members, requirements to remain loyal and to not disgrace the party (PDLT).
He said the PDLT remains in effect and any party cadre violating it would be sanctioned.
As an example, he said a cadre committing a corrupt act would be sanctioned after being found guilty by the court.
"However, if PDLT is not considered sufficient, we will improve it. We considered the current code of ethics to have been sufficient. But if changes are needed later, we will certainly adjust it. What is certain is that we already have a code," he said.
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