Empowering Indonesian Elites: which side is protected by the country?
Corruption was a common problem that happened in every country in the world. Believe it or not, but that’s true. According to data from transparency.org which created a corruption perceptions index for the country’s transparency from 0–100, they said that the highest index that reached just 88 belongs to Denmark for the 2018 year. So it proves that there was a gap between 88–100 which is there still a probability for corruption happen in that country, even that country gets the highest transparency index. So it means it almost impossible to make corruption become 0%, but what have the “leaders” do is reduce the corruption index by creating a better policy for preventing and stop corruption in a country. The leaders also have to hold their integrity to lead the country as well, to make a better place for people living.
According to UU No 31 Tahun 1999 about Eradication of Corruption Crime means that Corruption is Everyone who is categorized as against the law, commits acts of self-enrichment, benefits themselves or others or a corporation, misuses authority and opportunities or means available to him position or position that can harm the country’s finances or the country’s economy. Corruption occurs when these people “abuse the public power they have for personal gain by receiving money or other forms of appreciation, and then abuse their power to make a profit improper “(Amundsen 1999). Our constitution has been established many rules for corruption eradication, there are also many NGOs that move on corruption eradication just like Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi (KPK), Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW), and many more. So the questions are, Why people still be able to make corruption? Why corruption practices still spread in our country? Why every corruption cases were difficult to be done? Why there always many drama things happen around corruption case solving? and the last one is there any “groups” who protect the corruptor networking in Indonesia or any “group” that has interests to practice corruption in Indonesia for their interest? Who else if not our PEP (Politically Exposed Person) actor passed it? This is undeniable because there is still a PEP that misuses their proper role so that corruption still occurs just like planes landing at airports that are magnificent and have a smooth foundation, they can land smoothly and feel safe.
Nowadays corruption is not only detrimental to people but nature as well too. Climate changes are a global problem that has to face for the whole country in the world. Not just climate changes, but all the natural things that destroyed by our politics vulnerable. UN Nations has established a program for creating a better world living, 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). This program targeted and have to be achieved in 2030. Some of them talked about natural environment issues which are, it’s really important for us to take care of our environment to achieve a sustainability life. We’re supposed to running SDG’s Program for our country to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all, but the reality is we’re facing “radicalize development”.
Radicalise Development wasn’t uncommon term again nowadays. Some of the countries also surrounded by these things also. Like in Africa, there’s a huge land grabbing cases happened in there. In Mexico City, there’s forcing airport construction on land that is not suitable for airport foundations and others have pointed out the severe environmental impact the project could have on the nearly 130 bird species found on the wetlands of Texcoco, and that it will worsen the ongoing water shortage crisis faced by the Mexican capital. But why those things can happen? In other words, that happened because there were corrupt practices in there, by giving them permission. This actually happens as well in our beloved country. Ironically, many people ignore that phenomenon even though it is clearly visible. There’s also a factor from media power that can control the citizen’s attention. With a media oligarchy that owns or has a relationship with some “elite groups” which is they can distract one phenomenon with other issues in order to distract citizen’s attention. So there is another question, how we can create transparency as well if our media also controlled by “them”?
According to The Third Industrial Revolution by Jeremy Rifkin, changes for the industrial revolution are divided by energy, mobility, and communication. In this era, people need energy that can be recycled energy and clean energy so as not to damage the environment. But what happened in our country? Coal mining permissions in Indonesia were spread easily. We have to realize that every single mining activities in everywhere, they need a huge land for running their activities. The reality, lots of lands and citizen’s housing were evicted, especially in rural areas that have mining richness resources. This is what happened in East Borneo until now. This dialog does not only talk about the environment only but also about human rights for having the right to live. It also damages sanitation in there, so it means the water quality going to bad quality. They took off a lot of green land in there and changed them became industrial mining construction. If this continues to happen for the next 10 years, I guess we already know the answer to the environmental impact we get. Ironically while the other countries try to invest in recycled energy and clean energy, we still making investments in conventional energy that can damage our environment as well.
So why these things happen? Oligarchy practices were still undeniable in our country, especially in the current political years. For example, mining permissions easily can be spread out ahead of the election, because the candidates need the money for their campaign funding. According to data from Jaringan Advokasi Tambang (JATAM), there are 171 mining permits that granted in 2018 which is that’s the regional election happened. In 2019, there’ll be more mining permits be granted because many people behind those candidates have an interest in mining corporations, we can check in JATAM’s website clearly. Not only in the mining sector, but in the property sector also. How the construction of Meikarta that uses 500 hectares of land can work even though the full permit has not yet been issued? the most recent update has just been issued for 84 hectares. Tamansari Bandung eviction also hasn’t been solved yet. Many of our friends still fighting for their rights. Even the government had involved the TNI to block the residents, which we could say we were brought back to the new order regime. In January 2019, there’s a terror attack on the home of KPK Chairman, Agus Rahardjo. From one of the articles from BBC Indonesia, Yudi Purnomo said “ when you eradicate corruption, the risk is not only you but your family “, because the attack is home.” So it means our government failed for ensuring all people that want to eradicate corruption, they fight the corruption it means they risk their life too. So which side are protected by the country, protect the “elite” or protect their whole people?
Muhammad Daud Yusuf — 3/3/2019
