YOGYAKARTA – Corruption in Indonesia probably will never end. It may even be going to increase. How come? It is because there is no punishment which gives deterrent effect for a corruptor. More strangely, in this country poor people actually subsidize corruptors who are actually rich men. The data from 2001-2009 showed the amount of money being corrupted reached 73.07 trillion rupiah, but the total value of the financial penalty that was imposed was only 5.32 trillion rupiah or 7.29 percent of the total corrupted funds. So, who bears the state losses of as much as 67.75 trillion rupiah?
"The taxpayers certainly do, from mothers, the buyers of soap and instant noodles, children who bought candy and students who buy vouchers for their cellphones," said an economic crime researcher from Faculty of Economics and Business UGM, Dr. Rimawan Pradiptyo, delivering the evaluation to eradicate corruption, Friday (8/4).
The corrupted fund has never been returned to the State by the corruptors. Although the corruptors already get punishment, fund that has been corrupted is actually charged to the people who should pay for it with indirect taxes. "National income develops more from indirect taxes such as sales tax. So, every time we buy goods, it is not different from replacing funds that have been corrupted," he said.
This system is formed, Rimawan said, due to the fact that prosecutors and judges in the case decision do not always give a sentence in substitute payment for the amount of money that has been corrupted.
Socio-economic cost of disadvantaged communities does not become the factor to determine the verdict. "Evidence of corruption has not been based on the amount of economic costs, but based on the explicit costs of corruption, not taking into account the opportunity costs that are lost due to corruption," he said.
Between year 2001 and 2009, the Supreme Court handled 549 cases of corruption involving 831 defendants. Based on the data, the amount of 73.1 trillion rupiah is ed by snapper class as much as 72.2 trillion rupiah. However, the corruption value of snapper class exceeds 25 billion rupiah. "That’s not logical if the people who obediently pay taxes should pay for corruptors who are, in fact, rich and educated," he said.
Rimawan also criticized the Anti-Corruption Bill that is currently discussed actually does not attempt to impoverish the corruptors. One of them is reducing the level of fine for corrupters from previously 1 billion rupiah maximally to 500 million rupiah. This does not see any value of corruption. "The fine of 1 billion rupiah was made in 2001. However, inflation for 10 years is 100 percent, now the fine is reduced to 500 million," he said.
The lecturer of Faculty of Economics and Business UGM also criticized the Corruption Bill which does not include money politics in corruption crime. He also regretted the abolition of life imprisonment and capital punishment in Anti-Corruption Bill. In addition, the former corruptor should not have the right to be elected to hold a public position. "Obviously, this bill closes the gap to impoverish corruptors," he concluded.