REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, TANGERANG -- House Affairs Minister Tjahjo Kumolo expressed disappointment over the arrest of state officials by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) similar to the case in North Sumatra and Banten.
He hoped that through the current momentum being offered by the Anti-Corruption Day, all state officials would change their mindset and become part of the mental revolution.
The Anti-Corruption Day commemoration should not only serve as a ceremonial event but also provide the necessary momentum for change for the better.
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"The mental revolution, as declared by the president, should become a movement for the eradication of corruption, collusion, and nepotism in Indonesia," he stated when questioned at a polling station at the Serpong Narada Housing complex on the occasion of the simultaneous regional head elections (Pilkada) here on Tuesday.
The minister called on state officials, including members of the House of Representatives (DPR), to become aware of and abide by the regulations. The increasingly firm stance taken by the KPK has led to the anti-graft body initiating investigations on several state officials involved in corruption cases.
Therefore, the minister hoped the punishment meted out to corrupt officials would be made more stringent or be as harsh as that imposed on drug traffickers.
"Maximal and firm punishment should be given to corruptors that will have a deterrent effect and serve as a lesson to other state officials," the minister stressed.
On the occasion, South Tangerang Mayor Airin Rachmi Diany said her office had been cooperating with the KPK to handle officials involved in gratification cases.
She expressed hope that cooperation with the KPK would increase awareness and create a clean bureaucracy.
"The cooperation will be carried out next year. I have signed the order," she said.
The KPK has named two legislators after being caught red-handed receiving a bribe.
S.M. Hartono and Tri Satriya Sanoso, both members of the Banten regional legislative assembly, were arrested on Tuesday (Dec. 2) when caught red-handed receiving a bribe from a businessman, President Director of PT Banten Global Development Ricky Tampinongkol.
Ricky was also arrested by the KPK.
Hartono and Satriya were bribed to approve the regional budget, which is related to the establishment of the Banten Regional Bank.
The three were caught by the KPK at a restaurant at Serpong with US$11 thousand and Rp60 million, or totaling Rp203 million, which were confiscated by the anti-graft agency.
The Banten government plans to establish the bank owned by the regional administration.
The KPK revealed that 180 officials of the regional administration have been involved in corruption, causing huge losses to the state.
"Data until June 2015 showed that 14 governors, 48 district heads, and 118 senior officials were implicated in corruption cases, Research and Development Director of KPK Dedi Hartono noted on Tuesday.
The condition is alarming, and therefore, the government needs to be more serious in its efforts to prevent and eradicate corruption in the country, Dedi emphasized.
"It is impossible for a single individual to commit corruption. Hence, the control and management system for the regional budget must be effective and transparent to create a clean and accountable government," he stressed.
Corruption leads to high social costs. Therefore, the role of regional administrations is important to develop cultural integrity, he added.
He said the KPK is cooperating with the government financial watchdog BPKP and inspectorates to ensure accountable control and management of the regional budget.
"We are undertaking supervision activities in all 32 provinces of Indonesia," he added.
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