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Bribery scandal enrages Indonesians
Source: Agencies |
November 17, 2010, Wednesday
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THE man at the center of Indonesia's most closely watched corruption scandal was supposed to be behind bars.
Instead, Gayus Tambunan was photographed at a tennis tournament on the resort island of Bali, clumsily disguised in a black wig and glasses.
In the days that followed, police accused wardens of accepting bribes of up to US$40,000 so he could regularly leave his cell during the course of his trial.
The case? which has dominated Indonesian newscasts, headlines and social networking sites for more than a week? has touched nerves like few others in the sprawling nation of 237 million people.
That's because, more than a decade after the collapse of General Suharto's 32-year dictatorship, many believe the greatest threat to democratization and development is not terrorism, a weak education system, poor infrastructure or even poverty.
"It's graft," said Agung Kumoroyekti, a 32-year-old computer salesman who is not alone in thinking Indonesia should follow the lead of China and punish the worst offenders with death penalty.
"Otherwise nothing will change in this country," he said. "If you're rich or powerful, you'll always be able to do what you want."
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who became the first directly elected leader in 2004, has made fighting Indonesia's reputation of being one of the world's most graft-ridden countries a top priority.
But the body set up to do just that has been beset by scandals of its own - some allegedly fabricated by tainted police, businessmen and politicians to undermine its credibility - and high-ranking officials have largely been left alone.
Even so, Tambunan, a midlevel tax official with a salary of only US$1,300 a month, has turned out to be a dream for a frustrated public and corruption watchdogs.
Tambunan, 31, who had been tasked with addressing tax-related complaints, is charged with pocketing at least US$2.7 million from dozens of big companies to help them avoid paying taxes, said Pia Nasution, his lawyer.
Tambunan broke into tears on Monday when he admitted in a hearing at the South Jakarta District Court that he was the wigged man captured by photographers at the international tennis match on November 5.
The National Police spokesman, Major General Iskandar Hasan, said nine wardens have been arrested and face charges of accepting up to US$40,000 from the tax official.
Instead, Gayus Tambunan was photographed at a tennis tournament on the resort island of Bali, clumsily disguised in a black wig and glasses.
In the days that followed, police accused wardens of accepting bribes of up to US$40,000 so he could regularly leave his cell during the course of his trial.
The case? which has dominated Indonesian newscasts, headlines and social networking sites for more than a week? has touched nerves like few others in the sprawling nation of 237 million people.
That's because, more than a decade after the collapse of General Suharto's 32-year dictatorship, many believe the greatest threat to democratization and development is not terrorism, a weak education system, poor infrastructure or even poverty.
"It's graft," said Agung Kumoroyekti, a 32-year-old computer salesman who is not alone in thinking Indonesia should follow the lead of China and punish the worst offenders with death penalty.
"Otherwise nothing will change in this country," he said. "If you're rich or powerful, you'll always be able to do what you want."
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who became the first directly elected leader in 2004, has made fighting Indonesia's reputation of being one of the world's most graft-ridden countries a top priority.
But the body set up to do just that has been beset by scandals of its own - some allegedly fabricated by tainted police, businessmen and politicians to undermine its credibility - and high-ranking officials have largely been left alone.
Even so, Tambunan, a midlevel tax official with a salary of only US$1,300 a month, has turned out to be a dream for a frustrated public and corruption watchdogs.
Tambunan, 31, who had been tasked with addressing tax-related complaints, is charged with pocketing at least US$2.7 million from dozens of big companies to help them avoid paying taxes, said Pia Nasution, his lawyer.
Tambunan broke into tears on Monday when he admitted in a hearing at the South Jakarta District Court that he was the wigged man captured by photographers at the international tennis match on November 5.
The National Police spokesman, Major General Iskandar Hasan, said nine wardens have been arrested and face charges of accepting up to US$40,000 from the tax official.
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