Cracking down on corruption is pivotal to save state money and restore state losses, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has said.
“We must prioritize asset recovery and increase in non-tax state revenue (PNBP) to save and restore state finances and take corruption prevention measures in the first place,” the President said in his remarks at the Commemoration of the 2021 International Anti-Corruption Day at the Red and White building of Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Jakarta, Thursday (12/09).
On that occasion, the Head of State also expressed appreciation to law enforcement officers for asset recovery and increase in the PNBP.
“In the first semester of 2021, the Attorney General’s Office managed to restore state losses from handling corruption cases of around Rp15 trillion. And earlier, a larger amount that has been returned to the state through the agency was also reported by Chairperson of the KPK,” he said.
The President also underscored that the Government continues to push for the enactment of Criminal Act of Asset-forfeiture Law in order to realize a professional, transparent, and accountable law enforcement and improve people’s welfare.
“I also urge the KPK and the Attorney General’s Office to impose the Countermeasure and Eradication of Money Laundering (TPPU) Law in order to ensure strict criminal sanctions, and most importantly, to restore state financial losses,” he said.
The President also pointed out that Indonesia has embarked on international collaborations for the return of assets from criminal offenses, including the agreement on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters that has been agreed with Switzerland and Russia. The two countries are ready to assist Indonesia in tracing, freezing, and confiscating assets resulting from criminal offenses abroad.
“Therefore, fugitive corruption perpetrators can be pursued, be it in at home or abroad. Hidden assets by the mafia, port mafia, oil and gas mafia, drug mafia, meat mafia, land mafia, can continue to be traced and the perpetrators can be brought to justice,” he said, while stressing that eradicating corruption should not be synonymous with arrests.
The President further said prevention is a more fundamental step in the fight against corruption.
“Cultivating an anti-corruption culture from an early age is an important part of corruption eradication. Building self-awareness is the key to anti-corruption mindset,” he said.
The President also reminded that the public is waiting for tangible results of corruption eradication so that the impacts can be directly felt by the people through simple and accessible public services system, abundant jobs opportunities, and affordable price of basic necessities.
During the event, the Head of State also urged the participants who were present in person or through videostream to continually build good governance to prevent corruption.
“We must create faster and more efficient services system without charging any special fees. We must use technology for digitization, standardization, and transparency. We must strengthen the implementation of an integrated case handling system, improve the integrity of law enforcement officers. That way, we hope we can narrow down the gaps in abuse of authority and corrupt behavior,” he remarked. (TGH/UN) (RIF/EP)
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