Possibilities

Not too long ago, Indonesia was a Southeast Asian basket case, mired in bloody internecine violence and corruption scandals in the twilight of Suharto’s authoritarian regime.

Anti-Chinese sentiment was palpable in that country years before ethnic Chinese Indonesian women were stripped and gang-raped in public during the riots. With my Chinese heritage I could feel the hostility when I visited the country as a tourist and got ripped off buying a Garuda woodcarving in a highland area outside Jakarta.

Some years after the riots when I attended a media conference in Jakarta, my welcome at the airport also became memorable after I was shortchanged at the foreign exchange counter.

Admittedly, we have similar scams in the Philippines and I shouldn’t have been so clueless. I remembered the Jakarta experience, however, after learning about the “honesty shops” of Indonesia. There are now more than 7,000 such establishments across the country – shops without cashiers and other personnel, where it is up to consumers to leave the correct payment for their purchases.

The “honesty shops,” along with “integrity zones” in government offices, are among the measures implemented by an anti-corruption body formed by the Indonesian government in 2002, with support from civil society, to deal with one of the country’s most pressing problems.

Jakarta beat daang matuwid by a decade in giving priority to the anti-corruption campaign, and telling the world that there is a new way of doing business in Indonesia.

Tomorrow, the anti-corruption agency, Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi (KPK) or Corruption Eradication Commission, will be among the recipients of the Ramon Magsaysay Awards for its successful campaign.

The campaign, combined with strong leadership in recent years, helped make Indonesia an achiever among developing countries.

After the Suharto-era riots, Indonesia was a place where I felt like a millionaire during my visits as hyperinflation virtually turned the rupiah into Mickey Mouse money. Today Indonesia is in the “A” zone in credit rating, ahead of us in investment grade. Last year its per capita GDP was $4,956, higher than the Philippines’ $4,414.

Part of that success can be attributed to the achievements of the KPK. Indonesia had many reasons to rejoice on its National Day, which in Manila was celebrated by its embassy at a reception last Tuesday.

*   *   *

Since its creation, the KPK has sent some 60 members of parliament and provincial governors to prison for corruption cases involving amounts ranging from 1 billion to 7 billion rupiah (about P4 million to P28.5 million at yesterday’s rates). Approximately $80 million in ill-gotten assets have been recovered by the government.

KPK spokesman Johan Budi told me with pride that the commission has a 100 percent conviction rate in over 360 cases it has filed in court.

There are no untouchables for the commission. Among those convicted were police officials, bureaucrats, judges, mayors, ambassadors and bankers. Punishment was imposed on bribers and recipients alike.

Indonesia’s powerful and wealthy elite tried to fight back. Politicians tried to clip the commission’s powers and impose a budget squeeze. KPK members experienced police harassment and received threats.

Budi credits the KPK’s success to the Indonesian people themselves. The people formed human chains to prevent the police from shuttering the KPK office building. People also donated personal funds for the construction of the KPK office when parliament slashed funding for the commission.

And if the “honesty shops” have grown to more than 7,000, it is because there are enough honest Indonesians to make the shops viable.

In an anti-corruption campaign, Budi told me, “the most important element is support of the people.”

And the biggest problem? “Changing the mindset of officials,” he replied quickly.

*   *   *

In case the Aquino administration is considering the creation of a similar commission, it must be prepared to give the body sweeping powers and to ensure that there will be no sacred cows.

The KPK has both investigative and prosecutorial powers. It can summon any official in any branch of government for investigation and prosecution; no one can ignore a KPK summons. It can compel a government agency to cooperate in its probe.

Human rights advocates may frown on certain powers vested on the KPK. The commission can freeze assets, intercept electronic communication, conduct searches and seizures and impose a travel ban without the need for a court order.

This can work in the Philippines only if those vested with sweeping powers are individuals of unquestionable integrity. The KPK started out with five such individuals who enjoyed strong public trust.

Surely among nearly 100 million Filipinos, there are five such individuals – if the government is interested in setting up a similar commission. The question is whether there is sufficient political will to see it through.

Such sweeping powers will need the backing of Congress. Some of the powers may require a constitutional amendment. In this country, the powers are likely to be challenged before the Supreme Court, especially if judiciary members are covered by the mandate of the commission.

There are many obstacles to the creation of a Philippine version of the KPK. These days, even with the transparency reforms announced by P-Noy in the budget process, there is deep public skepticism that the reforms will prosper.

It’s good that the work of the KPK is being recognized by a foundation created in honor of a Philippine president known for his integrity.

The honor shows that a thorough housecleaning is possible. Indonesia and the KPK are showing the way: a culture of corruption can be changed, and honesty can become a national trait.