Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) has accused legislators of having no intention to eradicate alleged corruption in the Indonesian military (TNI).
ICW deputy coordinator, Adnan Topan Husodo, acknowledged Tuesday that Indonesia's military budget was still far below standard, but was diminished by corrupt practices.
"Raising our defense budget will not end our military problems if an efficient and transparent audit is not conducted," Adnan told a discussion at the Alliance of Independent Journalists' (AJI) office in Central Jakarta.
He said alleged graft in Indonesian military institutions had never been investigated despite the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) having found irregularities in military financial management.
"Irregularities in the BPK's audit results are likely to have been caused by corruption," Adnan said.
"The BPK has declared a disclaimer for TNI's 2006 and 2007 financial audits. Many of the suggestions made on each audit have never been followed up by the Defense Ministry or TNI."
In addition, several recent studies have declared the military are among the top-ten most corrupt institutions in Indonesia, he added.
"I still see no goodwill both from the TNI and the Defense Ministry to conduct healthy and transparent financial management," Adnan said.
He said that current laws limited the authority of police, prosecutors and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). "They cannot 'trespass' on the military," he said.
Adnan urged lawmakers to add articles into the military court bill that would give the KPK the authority to investigate military corruption. "Legislators have been discussing the bill for four years, but are yet to show signs it will be endorsed soon," he said.
Legislator Djoko Susilo from the House of Representatives' Commission I on defense, acknowledged that there had been no consideration to include the authority of the KPK to investigate military graft into the bill.
"Our current discussion is focused on whether the police can investigate military officers involved in non-military offenses," he told the discussion.
Asked why he did not insert an article about the KPK's authority to investigate military corruption, he said, "I don't know".
Djoko said the police might handle corruption cases within the military, although Adnan said that solution was flawed as the police were also corrupt.
"Legislators should not privilege the TNI in connection with corruption," he said. "Billions of funds allegedly used improperly by the military was the people's money. The public deserves to know how their money is used." (bbs)