The Partnership for Governance Reform in Indonesia published an op/ed in yesterday’s Jakarta Post urging the adoption of regulations to enable and enforce transparency in Indonesian political finance. They write:
Although attempts have been made to improve the system during the lead up to the last two elections, party financing in Indonesia remains fundamentally problematic, untouched by reform and lacking in transparency. The continuing allegations of corruption and improper use of funds to influence political processes and outcomes reflect the current state of party financing in Indonesia.
The claim the lack of regulations is in part responsible for several recent problems:
Problems in party financing became the subject of public scrutiny once again recently as a result of the emergence of a number of important controversies. The provision of laptop computers and other lucrative incentives to members of legislature at the national and regional levels based upon Government Regulation No. 37 of 2006 sparked public outrage last year.
The ongoing trial of the former and maritime affairs and fisheries minister Rokhmin Dahuri, and the case of former National Logistics Agency (Bulog) director Bambang Widjanarko are prime examples of the sort of irregularities that bedevil party financing in Indonesia, and involve the alleged channeling of non-budgetary departmental funds to the major political parties and House of Representatives members.
The money was allegedly used to finance the activities of the parties and legislators. The information that emerged during the trial confirms once again that ministries and other state institutions are often used to channel funds to finance the activities of parties and legislators.