Jakarta – Bribery is so rife in Indonesia's parliament that legislators consider the system to be normal, a report said Friday.

Members of the House of Representatives (lower house), interviewed by the Jakarta Post, told the paper that receiving gifts, cash or facilities was considered acceptable because "practically everybody did it" and they were beyond the reach of the law.

Controversy arose after the discovery on Monday that a legislator had received a 10 million rupiah (1,052 dollar) travellers' cheque from a ranking government official. The paper quoted police sources as saying they would soon question both the legislator and the finance ministry official said to be implicated.

Another MP, on the house's forestry and agriculture commission, was quoted as saying he received a payment after debating a plantations bill. "We convened for deliberation on the bill for days and nights. It is normal for me to accept cash," he told the Post.

"I receive extra money amounting to between 500,000 rupiah and one million rupiah from the ministry of agriculture. I don't consider it to be a special case." A legislator who asked to remain anonymous said the amount received by each legislator was not the same. "Perhaps, because I am outspoken I receive only a little," he said.

MP Hartono Mardjono strongly condemned the payments system. He blamed the indirect election system under which voters cast ballots for a party – which then selects legislators to sit in the house. MPs do not feel accountable to constituents, he said.

Hartono said some commissions were classed as "wet" in which bribery is normal. Among these were bodies supervising banking and state enterprises.

Commissions where bribery is uncommon were classed as "dry." He said legislators are offered various privileges, project concessions and "complimentary" gifts for themselves and their families.

"But cash is the most common form of bribery. Enclosed in an envelope it is untraceable." Hartono said legislators can accept bribes without fear of being caught. The Post said existing laws do not say whether a legislator may receive gifts.

The paper said legislators receive take-home pay of about 12.5 million rupiah a month plus an array of other benefits – including an "intensive communications" allowance of 35 million rupiah per year and six million rupiah for a washing machine allowance. The purpose of this allowance was unclear.

President Megawati Sukarnoputri has vowed the stamp out what is called KKN – corruption, collusion and nepotism. She says she summoned her close family and instructed them against any form of corruption. Members of her new cabinet were also told to list their assets.