APSN Banner

More Indonesians say they detest corruption: Census

Source
Jakarta Globe - June 16, 2020

Nur Yasmin, Jakarta – This year's national census shows that Indonesians are becoming more intolerant of corruption.

The anti-corruption score in this year's National Population Census was 3.84 out of 5, close to the 2020 National Medium-Term Development Plan target of 4. Last year's score was 3.70.

The census interviewed over 10,000 households in Indonesia from March to May.

The survey analyzes perceptions and experiences of bribery, extortion and nepotism. Respondents were asked if they tolerate different forms of corruption, including petty corruption.

The experience score was higher (3.91) than the perception score (3.68). The combined total is considered a high anti-corruption score.

Around 83 percent of the respondents claimed they never paid a bribe to smooth out services from government institutions.

Only 8.8 percent claimed they had offered bribes in the past year, and 7.9 percent said they used "mediators" to obtain the services.

Around 9.6 percent of business owners said they offered bribes to obtain public services. Around 80 percent say they would only pay the standard fees.

However, petty corruption was still rampant, especially during elections, according to the census.

More respondents said they had accepted cash and facilities during elections – a jump from 20.8 percent in 2019 to 32.7 percent this year.

Around the same number of people still find it acceptable to bribe government officials to smooth out the process of obtaining a national ID card (KTP) or a driver's license – 31.6 percent.

"This means people are more permissive of petty corruption," the report stated.

The study also analyzes people's opinions of offering bribes to public or local figureheads when preparing an event or to neighborhood heads or district heads during religious holidays.

According to the report, people are more tolerant of offering bribes to public figures during religious holidays, with the number increasing by 5.6 percent this year from last year's 40.9 percent.

Corruption is a severe and persistent problem in Indonesia, putting the country in 85th place in the 2019 Corruption Perception Index within the category of "moderately corrupt."

Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/more-indonesians-say-they-detest-corruption-census

Country