Jakarta – Dozens of activists and public figures have launched a national movement which will urge Indonesians not to elect "rotten" politicians in next year's legislative and presidential elections.
"Do not choose them, those who rob state coffers, do not choose them, those who make the people suffer," sang popular performer Franky Sahilatua at a rally in a Central Jakarta park.
Some 500 people took part in the rally to launch The National Movement Against Electing Rotten Politicians in front of a statue of the country's founding fathers – Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta. Similar rallies were held in other cities, organisers said.
The campaign aims to force parties carefully to select their legislative candidates and not nominate those with bad track records and poor performance.
Its launch coincided with the swearing-in of the five leading members of a new Corruption Eradication Commission in front of President Megawati Sukarnoputri at the state palace.
The Berlin-based Transparency International lists Indonesia among the world's most corrupt nations.
Leading Muslim intellectual Nurcholis Majid and former Jakarta Governor Ali Sadikin were among those at the Jakarta rally. The two largest Muslim organisations, Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, sent executives to show support.
Teten Masduki, head of Indonesian Corruption Watch, said his organisation was working on a "black list of rotten politicians." He said this would only be released once electoral officials have issued a list of candidates for legislative elections.
Indonesia will hold the legislative elections on April 5, followed by the first direct presidential elections on July 5.
High hopes of "reformasi" (reform) following the departure of the autocratic Suharto in May 1998 have now faded. The International Crisis Group, in a report this month, said cynicism about the new political order is almost universal – with confidence in democratic politics undermined by the politicians themselves.
At the palace former police officer Taufiqqurochman Ruki was sworn in as chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission and vowed not to bow to pressure.
"No powers or individuals will be able to intervene ... whoever they are," said Ruki. "We will not hesitate in taking actions against corruptors." The commission, whose establishment has been postponed several times since 1999, will have the authority to investigate and prosecute cases – previously the domain of the police and the prosecutors' office.