Rizal Malik's Blog
My stories, my thoughts, my world.

Sisno vs TI-Indonesia

“The Police sent spies to TI-Indonesia office” said headline of Tempo newspaper yesterday. The article reported the reaction of the speaker of Indonesian National Police, Inspector General Sisno Adiwinoto, to TI’s Global Corruption Barometer 2007 report that says the Police perceived as the most corrupt public institution in Indonesia. The police, as quoted by Tempo, suspected that there are parties behind TI that want to discredit the (Indonesian) police. “We have sent spies [to investigate TI-Indonesia]. I wonder if they are extremist, funded by corruptors”, said Sisno. On the other part of the article, Sisno said that he suspected that TI-Indonesia is a part of foreign espionage that has an interest on 2009 general election. “So that they raised the issue to discredit the National Police”.

It is ridiculous statement from a two star police general. However, it has made my life more difficult in the past few days. Journalists called my cell phone to get confirmation. One asked “Are you fell intimidated?” and I say no. The other asked, “Will you reveal your respondent to the police if they asked?” and I say “no way!” I have to attend a telephone interview from one Jakarta radio station while I am in Semarang yesterday. On the other line is General Sisno who keeps insisting that TI-Indonesia is a foreign agent with malicious interests. During the radio debate I asked him whether he has read the report, because it is clear from his statement that: a) he hasn’t read the report; b) he doesn’t understand research or public opinion polling methodology. He said that he doesn’t have to because the report is rubbish. [One of the newspapers even quoted him saying that TI survey is cat’s shit!].

I told him during the radio interview that TI-Indonesia is a registered Indonesian association at the Ministry of Justice. So TI-Indonesia is neither illegal nor foreign. We also have met the President twice to share our reports and recommendations, one in February 2007 and one in October 2007, and at that meeting the National Police Chief, Attorney General, and the Minister of Justice are all presence. So we would like to play a constructive role to make Indonesia free of corruption. Moreover, I have sent the report to his boss, the National Police Chief, and from what has been reported by the media the National Police Chief is more positive to the report. I don’t think I got his ear during the interview, because he keeps repeating his accusation. Even worse he attacked TI-Indonesia chair personally.

Since I know that Sisno will appear in the TV debate with TI-Indonesia chair at night (i.e. last night), I have asked the office to send him the full report and my letter to the National Police Chief. In my letter I have raised TI-Indonesia concerns on the corruption in the police force and offered TI-Indonesia recommendations on where the priority to reform should be. My intention to send Sisno the report is to make him not look foolish during the TV debate. TI-Indonesia chair is a respected and able trial lawyer. However, it seems that he doesn’t read the report. He appeared exactly what he is in the TV debate: stubborn and stupid.

The issue here is really the return of intimidation tactics from the previous authoritarian regime. Sisno demanded that TI handed over the respondent list to the police, presumably to be investigated who they are and why they say the police is the most corrupt institution. This is ridiculous. It will breach the research ethic on the anonymous respondents. Moreover, it will curtail the freedom of the speech that has been guaranteed by our constitution.

As the op-ed in one national newspaper commented on the TI report, “There is nothing new in it”. The report is just documenting the obvious. It confirms all other polling that has been made by the major newspaper and polling companies in Indonesia. People don’t trust their law enforcement agencies and politician. The report is also confirming Indonesia position in the global corruption pattern. What is different is this, more Indonesian pay bribes than the world. Three out of ten Indonesia have to pay bribes to get services. While the world average is one out of ten!

2007-12-12 15:29:40 GMT

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