The Pebble of Bank Century

(published by The Jakarta Post on 03 Dec 2009. Click here)

Vice President Boediono and Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati are now standing in the brink over the case of Bank Century bailout. Just like the boxer who is cornered in the boxing ring, their position has made their “pro-enemy” supporters cheer and dance in brouhaha. The supporters avidly want them both knocked-out as early as possible.

It is difficult not to say that Boediono and Sri Mulyani obviously are a minimum target by their “enemies”. I said as the “minimum” because if they are out (whether they are pressured to resign from the Cabinet or suspended temporarily), the other target is President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Say Yudhoyono is strong enough to stand in the middle of the storm, tarnishing his reputation is sufficient for his political foes, at least at this time.

The Bank Century debacle, indeed, should be investigated to reveal what has been going on. The scandal should be opened to answer the allegation that there was misappropriation of the bailout process and fraud within the Bank Century, that the Rp. 6.7 trillion of the bailout was saving deposits of several high figure depositors rather than save the entire domestic banking industry and Indonesian economy, that some of the money had flown to the Democratic Party and to fund Yudhoyono’s campaign for legislative and presidential election.

That’s the allegation that has spread among public, where Boediono and Sri Mulyani are mentioned as the most responsible. As usual, pressure is mounting from some elements demanded Boediono and Sri Mulyani be fired, although the allegations have yet to be proved. Additionally, process to follow-up the audit result of the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) is still ongoing. Where is the logic on pressing them to resign?

The House of Representative, pioneered by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) party formed an inquiry committee to investigate the case. The inquiry committee will have power to summon anyone who is implicated in the scandal including Boediono, Sri Mulyani, and even the President for questioning.

We are keen for this country to handle economic challenges properly and prudently by our leaders to ensure good governance. However, is the spirit of good governance solely what motivated the inquiry committee to form? I wish so, but please forgive me if I personally doubt it, moreover after learned the case was, since the beginning, driven to aim the two most trusted aides of President SBY as the shooting targets.

My doubt over the motivation of the inquiry committee is mostly supported by the fact that Sri Mulyani has created a lot of enemies during her term as the finance minister. Her personality as the decisive, uncompromised, clean, and not afraid to bulldoze the corrupt officials within her institution, has gained praise from many and at the same time also has been cursed, such as her bulldozing characteristic.

Her stance as the guard of state budget also irritated whoever requested to get bailouts for their companies that suffered losses during the global financial crisis recently. Her victory at one sides, is a loss for others at other sides. That is a Pyrrhic victory and now the losers are waiting for her fall.

It is important to know Yudhoyono supported actions to open the scandal. He, through his Democratic Party eventually backed the plan of the House of Representative to form inquiry committee to investigate it.

President Yudhoyono should make everything clear, not only because his name, his family and his party have been accused of receiving the bailout funds, but also to defend the government's reputation.

The great man has not stumbled over a mountain but a pebble. Will the Bank Century fiasco become a pebble for Boediono, Sri Mulyani or even SBY?

***
Serpong, 30 Nov 2009
Titus J.

related stories:
A Laugh at Our Lawmakers
The Iron Lady is Winning the Battle

Who is Trying to Kill The KPK?

(published by The Jakarta Post on 14 Nov 2009. Click here)

If I were a corrupt official, of course I would want the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to die. If the KPK institutionally cannot be "killed", I would try, at the minimum, to weaken its power and damage its reputation. Losing the public trust will make the KPK equal to a toothless tiger because trust is its lethal weapon. As the public desperately hopes for the KPK to crush the chronic corruption in this country, the KPK has been expected to be an angel who can do no wrong.

The KPK has been becoming a frightening specter that constantly haunts those who are corrupt. This is a very serious menace that ensures that the rats (read: corruptors) never sleep in their nest peacefully. The superpower body has been successfully throwing corrupt officials in jail since the body formed.

However, the success has not been without consequences. The more corrupt officials that are sent to jail, the more enemies the KPK creates, because corrupt officials in Indonesia are countless. All of those, of course, expect the KPK to die.

In opposite, the KPK has become a superhero for those who revolt against corruption, because the long-running practice has damaged the Indonesian country both economically and morally. We saw transparently the so-called morality of high-ranking government officials, the lawmakers and the law enforcers who were meant to uphold the law and justice.

When money can buy everything, law is absolutely nothing. We saw the decay of morality through the wiretapped conversation between someone suspected to be Anggodo Widjojo, the brother of fugitive Anggoro Widjojo, and several high-ranking officials that were publicly revealed in the Constitutional Court (MK). In the hearing, obviously the law was in Anggodo's hands. He was seen as more powerful than those who supposedly upheld the law. He made all arrangements and the officials nodded. That horrific scene was nakedly and publicly published. I am hoping it wasn't true. I am hoping the scene was just a soap opera or a mafia movie.

Suppose the wiretapped conversation was authentic; that it was Anggodo who easily orchestrated the music and asked the elite figures to perform this dirty dancing? The criminal's relative conspired with brokers and the law enforcers to criminalize anti-graft fighters Bibit Samad Rianto and Chandra M. Hamzah. This is a country where we live, where money is power. The corrupt officials let themselves be slaves to serve those who pay. Is it obvious that money is the root of evil? No, but loving money is.

It is okay to charge Bibit and Chandra with abuse of power and bribery. Let's give the police the opportunity to prove it. But the more important thing is, whether Bibit and Chandra are innocent or guilty as accused by the police, that the goal to eradicate corruption is in danger after a series of attempts to damage public trust in the KPK. Indeed, the perfect way to shoot enemies is by using their own bullets. So the perfect way to shoot corruption fighters is by corruption allegations, too.

I am grateful for the massive support that has been shown by the public to save the KPK, regardless of whether Bibit and Chandra are guilty or not. Some people have joined street demonstrations, some others have expressed their protest with hunger strikes, and others have given support via internet campaigns. As of today, the number of Facebookers who have committed to stand by Bibit and Chandra has reached 1 million as targeted by the initiator.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) should thank the KPK and stand on as the vanguard to save the KPK, because one of key reasons people revoted for him was his corruption-eradicating efforts. People expect SBY to show the same commitment today.

Money can buy the law, but not justice.

***
Serpong, 6 Nov 2009
Titus J.