Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – While some 40 million Indonesians struggle to survive on less than US$2 per day, their representatives in the national legislature manage to each secure more than Rp 100 million ($11,000) in monthly income.
But they are still unable to restrain their "greed", several experts say, instead further enriching themselves by taking bribes and embezzling state funds.
Former House of Representatives member Moh. Mahfud MD from the National Awakening Party (PKB) revealed last week in his wealth report to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) that his monthly income as a lawmaker reached Rp 86 million.
The amount excluded other compensation such as housing and car allowances and legislation fees, he said.
In the report, a copy of which was obtained by The Jakarta Post, Mahfud, who is now a Constitutional Court judge, said that with his other income from outside the House as a lecturer in several universities and legal consultant, he had been able to accumulate wealth of over Rp 5 billion without having to take bribes.
"Lawmakers are driven by wealth accumulation and greed, as they already have enough income," political scientist Bima Arya Sugiarto of Paramadina University said Sunday.
He said such a huge income should be enough for lawmakers to finance their personal and family lives and to support their duty as people's representatives.
"By any standards, such a high monthly income is more than enough to support lawmakers' daily lives and duties, including hiring personal assistants and experts to provide them with knowledge and information," he said.
Bima said that less than 0.1 percent of Indonesia's 240 million people had income equal to that of lawmakers.
The arrests of six active lawmakers by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) during the last six months indicated that graft has deep roots in the House, he added.
The KPK is detaining Saleh Djasit and Hamka Yamdhu, both from the Golkar Party, Al Amin Nasution of the United Development Party (PPP), Sarjan Taher of the Democratic Party, Bulyan Royan of the Star Reform Party (PBR) and Yusuf Emir Faishal of the National Awakening Party (PKB).
Saleh was arrested in March for allegedly receiving a bribe in a fire engine procurement case that caused Rp 8 billion in state losses while Hamka Yamdhu was charged in connection with the Rp 100 billion Bank Indonesia graft case.
Al Amin, Sarjan and Yusuf were all arrested for allegedly receiving a bribe intended to smooth out efforts by regions to convert conservation forests into business and office areas, while Bulyan was accused of receiving bribes in the procurement of patrol boats by the sea transportation directorate general at the Transportation Ministry.
Following the arrests of the six people, other lawmakers could also face detentions. The case of Al Amin has implicated his colleagues, such a Ganjar Pranowo of the Indonesian Democratic party of Struggle (PDI-P), Azwar Chesputra and Syrafi Hutauruk, both from Golkar, and Sujud Siradjudin of the National Mandate Party. These four lawmakers have been intensively questioned by the KPK.
During the trials for Hamka, former BI governor Burhanuddin Abdullah and two other former top BI officials, the name of National Development Planning Minister Paskah Suzetta, a former Golkar lawmaker, was mentioned.
Recent data from Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) revealed that at least 35 lawmakers – 15 from the PDI-P, eight from Golkar, eight from the PPP, three from the Democratic Party, three from PAN and one from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) – have been involved in corruption.
"It's very ironic that lawmakers, who live in luxury, cannot avoid stealing state money while many other people are still living in poverty," said Emerson Yuntho of the ICW.