Dicky Christanto, Jakarta – The public thinks the integrity of state institutions is on the decline, a recent survey by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) shows.

The 2010 Public Sector Integrity Survey, which was conducted between April and August this year, involving 12,616 respondents in 22 cities, showed the national integrity index was down to 5.42 this year from 6.5 last year.

"This index is less than the standard we set at 6, which indicates that corruption eradication and prevention efforts in Indonesia have yet to reach optimal levels," KPK deputy chairman M. Jasin said.

He added that the index was a reflection of respondents' experience with corruption, whether in the form of gratuities, middlemen, red tape or other forms. The results are in line with a recent Transparency International survey this year that showed Indonesia hovering among the bottom countries in the Corruption Perception Index.

One of the reasons for the decline was the decreasing quality of public services at central and local levels, Jasin said.

The KPK survey evaluated 353 service units in 23 institutions at a national level (ministries and state-run enterprises), six institutions with local offices (such as the police and state-owned electricity companies), and regional-level institutions including the administrations of 22 cities. The average score for national-level institutions was 6.16, while institutions with local offices scored 5.26 and city administrations got 5.07.

At a national level, the respondents ranked the Transportation Ministry lowest with a score of 4.21, while the Justice and Human Rights Ministry and its penitentiary service and services for migrant workers gained 5.34 and 5.94.

The Agriculture Ministry with its seed permits got the highest score with 7.7, followed by the business permit desk of the Investment Coordinating Board with 7.67. Among state institutions, the National Police scored the lowest with 4.66, Jasin said.

The annual survey was aimed at advising public institutions how to make corruption prevention efforts more effective in services that were prone to corruption, he said. "The institutions with low integrity scores are vulnerable to corruption and law enforcement will not be enough," Jasin said.

Jasin's commission would help low-scoring institutions create action plans to improve their services. In such cases, standard operating procedures and mechanisms for user complaints should be revised, he said.

However, National Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Marwoto Soeto dismissed the significance of the survey, saying it did not provide any solutions. "We would like to work with the KPK to seek immediate solutions," he said.

Scores of cities

1. West Jakarta (5.82)
2. Samarinda (5.8)
3. North Jakarta (5.78)
4. Tanjung Pinang (5.72)
5. Serang (5.66)
6. Pontianak (5.59)
7. Yogyakarta (5.59)
8. Bandung (5.57) 9. Surabaya (5.52)
10 Ambon (5.4)
11. Central Jakarta (5.39)
12. East Jakarta (5.14)
13. Manado (5)
14. South Jakarta (4.97)
15. Jayapura (4.91)
16. Mataram (4.89)
17. Pekanbaru (4.89)
18. Palembang (4.83)
19. Semarang (4.73)
20. Makassar (4.72)
21. Bandar Lampung (4.54)
22. Medan (4.44)