Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition held a theatrical action criticising public officials who violate the code of ethics. The action was held symbolically by dumping an official into a garbage bin.
The action was held in front of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) red-and-white building in Jakarta on Tuesday August 31.
During the action, they depicted the garbage bin as a place that is appropriate for public officials that commit violations – not just ethical violations, but also violations against human rights, criminal acts and corruption.
They then placed a woman and a man into the garbage bin. The woman wore the initials LPS, which was short for "Wow a violator".
"So on this day, there are two people, here with the initials LPS, short for 'Lo pelangar sih'. And they will be picked up and placed in the garbage bin", said action coordinator Kurnia Ramadhana from Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW).
Ramadhana said that the action was also to demand that violators of ethics not be allowed to hold public positions. He said that there are many laws which regulate that public officials who commit ethics violations must immediately resign.
Nevertheless, Ramadhana did not spatially cite who the protest action was aimed at.
"So from this, from the context of the action, this theatrical [action], we are at the same time sending a message to these public officials to immediately resign from their positions", said Ramadhana.
"Not excluding the leadership of agencies which are active in anti-corruption", he added.
Earlier, ICW called on the KPK's Supervisory Board to take a case of ethical code and behavioral guideline violations committed by KPK Deputy Chairperson Lili Pintauli Siregar to the police.
This can be done in reference to Articles 65 and 36 of Law umber 30/2002 on the KPK.
Article 36 contains regulations prohibiting the KPK leadership from having direct or indirect contact with suspects.
Article 65 meanwhile says that all KPK members who violate the stipulations as referred to in Article 36 shall be punished by a prison sentence of up to five years. (thr/pmg)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Koalisi Sipil Gelar Aksi Buang Pejabat Pelanggar Etik di KPK".]
