Page 130 - BUKU STRENGTHENING THE INDONESIAN PARLIAMENTARY DIPLOMACY FADLI ZON

Corruption in many emerging democracies is one of the most serious obstacle to deepen
democracy and economic growth. According to the World Bank, corruption is a major challenge
to SDG’s institutional goals of ending extreme poverty by 2030 and boosting shared prosperity
for the poorest 40 percent in developing countries. In addition, reducing corruption stands at
the heart of the recently established Sustainable Development Goals and achieving the targets
set for Financing for Development. It is a priority for the institution and many of its partners.

Corruption has outlived all predictions of its demise. Indeed, it appears to be thriving. The
World Economic Forum estimates that corruption adds a ten percent surcharge to the cost of
doing business in many parts of the world. Annual Meeting of Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum
2016R RI The term “corruption” is so inclusive as to be almost meaningless, encompassing
bribery, nepotism, bid-rigging, embezzlement, extortion, vote-buying, price-fixing, protection
rackets, and a hundred other varieties of fraud. Corruption creeps in, unnoticed, “like some
odor gas.” We smell it but we do not know who the culprit.

Regarding to that matter, I am of the view that corruption eradication requires effective
movement and, most importantly, credible leaders. Let me share on this two things.

In raising public awareness and calling for the community to take a stand against corruption,
I suggest that an anti-corruption movement needs two major elements: first one is Campaigns:
a sustained, organised public effort making collective claims of target authorities; second one
is employment of combinations from among the following forms of political action: creation of
special purpose associations and coalitions, public meetings, rallies, demonstrations, petition
drives, statements to and in public media.

Building network among anticorruption movement that fight corruption is crucial, but not
enough. Leaders are critical to anti-corruption movements: they inspire commitment, mobilize
resources, create and recognize opportunities, devise strategies, frame demands, and influence
outcomes.

I would like to highlight three examples of political leaders that took the lead in fighting
corruption. Firstly, the late Lee Kuan Yew, former Prime Minister of Singapore. Secondly, Ellen
Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia and the first female head of state in Africa, and thirdly,
Atifete Jahjaga, President of Kosovo and the first female head of state in the Balkans. What
could Singapore, Liberia and Kosovo teach us?

When Singapore achieved independence, the newly elected Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew,
announced that he was “sickened” by decadence and corruption, and pledged to rid Singapore
of graft. But Lee delivered on the rhetoric, enacting new anticorruption legislation and
bestowing real power on the anticorruption bureau. He raised salaries for civil servants, to

Selected Speeches of the Vice Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia I 117