Politicians in the House of Representatives and leaders of the major political parties are very diligent to criticize the government for dragging its heels while eradicating corruption in this country.
But when their name or organization shows up in an investigation alleging corruption, they are quick to cover up and to pressure law enforcers to delete their names from the embarrassing files.
It happened last week. Rather than using the alleged bribery case to boost her popularity, Megawati Soekarnoputri, chair of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), was quick to sack the longtime loyalist who exposed the scandal. Amid growing corruption scandals involving several legislators, some may ask: Why did the former president hastily sack Agus Condro Prayitno after that legislator ignited the corruption fuse?
Megawati could instead use the scandal to convince the public they should vote for her in next year's presidential election by conducting a thorough investigation to prove Agus' claim and taking severe action against the perpetrators without waiting for legal procedures. People may be forgiven for not believing Megawati's reasons for punishing Agus. In any case, it is hard to believe only House members received these bribes while their party bosses remained squeaky clean or knew nothing about the scandal.
PDI-P Secretary-General Pramono Anung said the party had Agus quit its ranks because he had tarnished the party's image ahead of the 2009 election.
Megawati wants another chance to lead the country, though she served as president from 2001 to 2004. Perhaps she forgets, no matter how strong her reasons for sacking Agus, people remain highly suspicious that corrupt behavior has taken place within the House of Representatives. So why did she fire Agus?
"Since the beginning, the PDI-P supported Miranda as Bank Indonesia's (BI) senior deputy governor. If people took advantage of our policy, then they were wrong because, even without money, we would still have supported Miranda," Pramono said on Saturday.
Agus Condro clearly does not deserve the status of a hero – a crook's moniker would be closer to the truth – since he confessed four years after the fact. Agus told the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the public he had received Rp 500 million (US$4,345) from a party comrade shortly after he voted for Miranda as Bank Indonesia senior deputy governor in 2004.
Agus appeared alarmed to learn six of his colleagues in the House had been arrested by KPK and some face trial for bribery.
The KPK has questioned Forestry Minister MS Kaban and State Minister for National Development Planning Paskah Suzetta for allegedly receiving bribes from BI in 2003 when the two were still House members. BI's former governor, Burhanuddin Abdullah, is charged with channeling Rp 31.5 billion in BI funds to House Commission IX on financial affairs.
In the meantime, at least five legislators have been accused of accepting bribes tied to a forest conversion permit in Bintan regency, Riau Islands.
If Agus was honest he would, of course, have returned the bribe immediately after he had received it (as four other PDI-P legislators should have done, according to his own claim) from his party comrade Dudhie Makmun Murod, in 2004.
Whatever Agus' motivation, legal enforcers, especially the KPK, need to treat Agus as a whistle-blower and provide him full witness protection to enable the commission to hold all corruption suspects accountable.
The House endorsed a witness protection law in 2006, but it remains toothless, lacking the necessary enabling regulations.
Clearly many among the political elite, including powerful bureaucrats, are seeking to silence Agus or to brand him as a liar, because more will go to jail if bribery charges surrounding the appointment of BI's deputy governor – and perhaps others – can be proved.
For the sake of the nation's determination to delete Indonesia from the list of the world's most corrupt countries, the public awaits a thorough, legal settlement to Agus' confession. And the KPK is on the front line to ensure a little justice for Indonesia's citizens.