Syakirun Niam, Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) says that a statement by the House of Representatives' (DPR) Commission III Chairperson Bambang Wuryanto or Bambang Pacul during a meeting with Coordinating Minister for Politics, Security and Legal Affairs Mahfud MD paints a grim picture of the future of corruption eradication.
During the meeting, Mahfud asked the DPR to immediately enact the Draft Law (RUU) on Restricting Cash Transactions to narrow the avenues for corruption.
ICW researcher Kurnia Ramadhana said however, that instead of supporting this, Wuryanto stated that enacting the law would make things difficult for DPR members.
"Instead of supporting it, he instead said that enacting the bill would make DPR members cry", said Ramadhana in a press release sent to Kompas.com on Friday March 31.
Wuryanto argued that if the draft law was enacted then house members would not be able to hand out money in order to get themselves reelected. Yet such a practice is clearly prohibited by law.
"For us, a reason such as this is very stupid and worthy of being strongly criticised. It tarnishes the principle of an election", said Ramadhana.
Ramadhana revealed that enacting the draft law would have a big impact on reducing the degree of money politics, which is currently seen as normal by politicians.
Earlier during a public hearing with Mahfud as the Chairperson of the National Coordinating Committee for the Prevention and Eradication of Money Laundering (TPPU), Wuryanto explicitly rejected the ratification of the bill.
He said he was worried that if it is enacted then DPR members would have difficulties being reelected. Wuryanto claimed that he has openly explained this to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.
"The president once asked me about the RUU on restricting cash transactions. [I said] 'Pak [Mr] President, if the RUU on restricting cast transitions (is ratified), the surely all of the DPR will by crying'", said Wuryanto at the parliamentary complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Wednesday March 29.
"Why? How can they hand out money if they have to use an e-wallet, an e-wallet is only 20 million [rupiah] or so. They can't, Pak, later they won't be (DPR members) anymore", he continued.
Upon hearing Wuryanto's statement, the other members of Commission III present at the meeting burst out laughing. Mahfud on the other hand, gave a bitter smile and shook his head.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "RUU Pembatasan Uang Kartal Ditertawakan DPR, ICW: Gambaran Suram Masa Depan".]
