Corruption classes in Indonesia

Sumber : BBC News via Yahoo Alert

By Lucy Williamson
BBC News, Jakarta

Government poster
Indonesia is tackling corruption through education and in the courts

Indonesians will tell you there are bribes to be paid for almost everything in life - getting your identity card in reasonable time, passing your driving test, avoiding a parking ticket, even getting into the police force.

The experts don't disagree: the country has one of the worst corruption ratings in the world.

Transparency International ranks it in 143rd place - just a few places ahead of economically destitute Zimbabwe.

After a decade of democracy, a newly-vibrant Anti-Corruption Commission, and a president who has made tackling corruption one of his key pledges, graft still remains hard-wired into the system.

And so Indonesia is trying some new tactics, and opening up some new fronts in its battle on corruption - such as the second floor of Jakarta's high school number three.

Pens and chocolate

Today's class is about moral guidance and the importance of transparency. It is part of a pilot project dreamt up by the country's attorney-general to tackle corruption before it happens.

The weekly lectures are modern and interactive. The class, neatly divided - boys on the right, girls on the left - shouts and claps at all the right moments.

And once they've got the theory down, the students can put it into practice outside in the corridor by doing a bit of shopping at the school's honesty bar.

Taking a test
Children in Indonesian schools are now sitting corruption exams
There is everything you could need for your school day - pens, pencils, even chocolate to see you through double maths - and it seems to be very popular with the children. But how honest are they being?

Dika is 16 years old and one of those taking part in the transparency programme. He tells me that most students here are very honest, only a few cheat or take things from the bar without paying.

But he says that's partly because of the new classes, which he believes are a very good idea: "I'm quite embarrassed because Indonesia is seen as one of the most corrupt countries in the world," he said, "I'd like to change that."

Corruption in court

In fact the classroom itself is sparking ideas for the wider battle with corruption.

In the crisp offices of Indonesia's anti-corruption commission, known as the KPK, commission chairman Antasari Azhar shows me the new uniform its detainees are made to wear during corruption trials - before they have been convicted.

He points out the unthreatening blue and yellow colour-scheme; and the words "KPK detainee" emblazoned across the back in the style of a football kit.

"It's important to distinguish between corruption suspect and criminal suspects, because corruption is an extraordinary crime," he explained, "So the treatment should be extraordinary too. One way is to use this uniform as a deterrent; as a sort of shame for the detainees."

But corruption is such a part of the system here, that even if you are convicted, insiders say you can still pay your way through the penal system.

Rahardi Ramelan
Rahardi Ramelan says corruption is hard-wired into Indonesian culture
Rahardi Ramelan is one of those insiders.

He spent almost two years in jail on corruption charges, and he told me that, if you have money, not only can you buy your way to a more comfortable prison life, you're also more likely to be released from jail on time.

"It's not that you can shorten the sentence," he explained, "But if you have money, your time in jail will be according to the regulations."

"If you don't have money maybe you'll have to spend one, two, three, four months more in jail because the system isn't working very well."

Cultural problem

This kind of story has led to calls in Indonesia for separate jails for corruptors - or even for the death penalty.

But corruption here is seen as so pervasive that it has undermined people's trust, not only in the prison system, but also in the police and the courts.

One recent study found that almost half of all interactions with the police resulted in a bribe. Rahardi Ramelan believes that corruption is hard-wired into the culture here.

"It's like a social disease," he told me. "The people in Indonesia - even though we're a republic and a democracy - still live according to an aristocratic system. So, the normal people look to the leaders as if to the king, or the queen."

Back at the school, the afternoon class is about to begin.

They are going to sit a test, unsupervised of course - another part of the honesty programme.

It is one thing trusting children not to cheat or bribe in the classroom.

But the real test - what happens when they hit the world outside - will take a little longer to assess.

BERITA BBC INDONESIA

Diperbaharui pada: 06 Mei, 2008 - Published 11:10 GMT

Email kepada teman		Versi cetak

Indonesia timbang tinggalkan OPEC

	OPEC saat ini memiliki 13 negara anggota

Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono mengatakan Indonesia tengah mempertimbangkan keanggotaannya di dalam organisasi negara eksportir minyak, OPEC.

Presiden Yudhoyono mengatakan alasan pertimbangan itu adalah Indonesia kini sudah menjadi negara pengimpor minyak akibat tingkat produksi minyak yang terus menurun.
Indonesia kini memproduksi minyak mentah rata-rata 927.000 barel per hari, sementara kebutuhannya mencapai 1,4 juta barel per hari.
Kondisi inilah yang membuat Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono mempertimbangkan Indonesia keluar dari OPEC.
Menteri Energi dan Sumber Daya Mineral, Purnomo Yusgiantoro dikutip mengatakan Indonesia baru akan keluar dari OPEC tahun depan karena negara telah membayar iuran untuk tahun 2008.
Produksi minyak mentah Indonesia sempat mencapai 1,6 juta barrel per hari pada pertengahan tahun 1990-an.
Dalam situs internetnya, OPEC sendiri mengatakan sedang mempertimbangkan keanggotaan Indonesia.
Pengamat perminyakan Kurtubi menyambut baik rencana Indonesia keluar dari OPEC, karena sebagai negara pengimpor minyak kepentingan Indonesia kini berbeda dengan negara pengekspor.
Namun, Kurtubi menyoroti kerugian yang akan diderita jika Indonesia keluar dari organisasi itu.
Tahun lalu, nilai investasi sektor migas di Indonesia mencapai $10 miliar.
Indonesia sejak tahun 1962 menjadi anggota OPEC, yang kini terdiri dari 13 negara produsen minyak mentah.

Badai tewaskan '351' di Birma

Badai tewaskan '351' di Birma/Berita BBC Indonesia

	Banyak jalan tertutup oleh patahan pohon yang roboh

Badai tropis menerjang Birma dan menewaskan sedikitnya 351 orang dan menyebabkan banyak bangunan hancur, kata televisi negara.

Beberapa bagian delta Irrawaddy dilaporkan sebagai kawasan yang mengalami dampak paling parah terjangan badai Nargis hari Sabtu.

Di salah satu distrik, tiga dari empat bangunan ambruk.

Laporan televisi negara menyebutkan, lebih dari 20.000 rumah rusak atau bahkan hancur.

Pemerintah militer Birma menyatakan, Irrawaddy dan empat kawasan lain, termasuk ibukota Rangoon, sebagai kawasan bencana.

Rangoon kini tidak mendapat aliran listrik dan air bersih, sementara jalan-jalannya penuh dengan puing-puing yang berserakan.

Angin kencang berkecepatan 190km/jam menerjang Irrawaddy, Rangoon, Bago, Karen dan kawasan Mon.

Jumlah korban tewas 351 orang itu termasuk 109 orang yang tinggal di Pulau Haing Gyi, di lepas pesisir barat daya, kata para pejabat.

Personel militer dan polisi dikerahkan untuk melakukan operasi penyelamatan.

Operasi penyelamatan

Di Labutta, yang berada di delta Irrawady, 75% bangunan ambruk, dan 20% bangunan terkoyak atapnya, kata televisi negara.

Seorang warga mengatakan kepada BBC bahwa Aliran air dan listrik ke Rangoon terputus, sementara jalan-jalanan dipenuh puing-puing.

Jaringan telepon dan sambungan internet ke kota tersebut juga terganggu sejak badai mendekat. Hambatan sarana komunikasi ini mempersulit upaya untuk mengukuhkan skala kerusakan yang ditimbulkan.

Sedangkan, harga pangan naik dua kali lipat.

Dampak badai Nargis di Birma

Televisi pemerintah Birma juga melaporkan di beberapa kotapraja, atap-atap rumah hancur dan sebagian gedung rata dengan tanah.

Setelah menerjang Birma Badai Nargis bergerak ke Thailand, yang telah mengeluarkan peringatan ancaman badai. Namun, tampaknya kekuatan badai itu
telah berkurang.

Laporan media pemerintah menyebutkan, empat orang tewas dan empat kapal tenggelam di pelabuhan Rangoon, kota yang pernah menjadi ibukota Birma.

Seorang pejabat PBB di kawasan Asia Tenggara mengatakan kepada kantor berita Reuters bahwa perlu waktu beberapa hari untuk menaksir skala kerusakan.

"Tampaknya jumlah korban tidak banyak, tapi yang pasti ada properti dan prasarana yang rusak," kata Therje Skavdal yang berbicarakan dari Bangkok, Thailand.

Sementara itu seorang diplomat yang bertugas di Rangoon yang dikutip Reuters menggambarkan kota tersebut seperti "kawasan perang menyeluruh".

Anthony Craig, pejabat regional Progam Pangan Dunia PBB yang berkantor di Thailand, mengatakan, mengingat kerusakan yang menimpa gedung-gedung yang kokok di Rangoon, kerusakan di tempat-tempat lain di Birma mungkin sangat parah.

'Seperti Katrina'

Seorang warga Rangoon menggambarkan kerusakan di kota tersebut kepada siaran bahasa Birma BBC.

	Pohon menimpa kendaraan di Rangoon

"Semua porak poranda," katanya.

"Atap rumah dan antena parabola terbawa angin. Jendela-jendela pecah di
Yuzana Plaza. Iklan tepi jalan juga terbawa angin...semuanya porak poranda," katanya.

Banyak atap bangunan dilaporkan terkoyak, termasuk di gedung-gedung yang kokoh di Birma.

"Saya belum pernah melihat yang seperti ini," kata seorang pensiunan pegawai negeri kepada Reuters.

Ini mengingatkan saya akan Badai Katrina di Amerika Serikat Warga Rangoon, Birma

"Ini mengingatkan saya akan Badai Katrina di Amerika Serikat," katanya.

Seorang pengemudi becak di Rangoon mengeluhkan, bahwa aparat keamanan tidak berbuat cukup untuk membantu.

"Di mana semua orang berseragam yang selalu siap memukuli warga sipil?" katanya.

"Mereka sebaiknya keluar dengan kekuatan penuh dan membantu membersihkan wilayah ini dan memulihkan aliran listrik," tambahnya.