YOGYAKARTA-Corruption practices are allegedly to be bigger in Indonesian justice sector. The case of Gayus Tambunan who is assessed to embezzle more than 28 billion in tax involving law enforcement officials is just one example of corruption practices. There are many other similar cases that may have not been revealed. This was disclosed by a law professor who is also an advocate, Iwan Satriawan, S.H., MCL, Ph.D. in a seminar entitled Combating Corruption for Better Indonesia, in Koesnadi Hardjasumantri Cultural Center on Monday (6/12).
"Gayus is only one example and corruption practices are more found in courts," said Iwan.
Iwan assessed that corruption that still occurs after more than 10 years of reformation is at least caused by two things. First, the mentality of law enforcement officers has not changed. According to Iwan, reformation is only to change a system/ structure that creates a model. However, the person or law enforcement remains the first so it will be difficult to change the paradigm of the past.
Second, internal control undertaken by law enforcement officials so far is ineffective and does not run well. Therefore, the external oversight bodies such as the Judicial Commission to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) were founded.
"Therefore, the most important priority to do is to change the mentality of law enforcement officials and to create an optimal control so corruption practices can be prevented," added Iwan.
In the same place, Secretary of the Task Force for Eradication of Law Mafia, Denny Indrayana, again reminded everyone to seriously examine the possibility of corruption practices in two areas, namely taxes and excise as well as law enforcement (judicial corruption).
"Seventy percent of our state’s revenue came from taxes and excise; so it is very possible for corruption in tax and excise," said Denny.
According to Denny, based on these two things, judicial mafia eradication is worthy to be prioritized. In his view, if judicial mafia cases are not handled, then it is impossible to eradicate other corruption cases.
He also emphasized that combating corruption can not be done by one institution alone, but law enforcement agencies must come together, including the Task Force and the Anti-Corruption Commission (KPK). "The Task Force and the Commission have the authority so that the coordination of these two institutions is very important to combat corruption," said Denny.
Similarly, Director of Center for Anti-Corruption Studies UGM, Zainal Arifin Mochtar, SH, LL.M., and researcher of Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) Febri Diansyah said that fighting corruption can not only rely on institutions such as parliament or even the government. Moreover, the view of law enforcement agencies is currently still co-opted by mafia practices.
In the midst of efforts to combat corruption, corruptors fight back. KPK institution is most often undermined. Meanwhile, the President’s commitment is considered weak in supporting this Commission. He cited the prominent mode of the corruptor’s fight is judicial review of the Commission Law, legal case manipulation against the KPK leadership and the various political pressures.
"KPK institution is the most frequently undermined by corruptors when we seriously fight corruption right now," Febri added.