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Police shame over poll

An Indonesian Police general could not hide his anger in a recent TV interview about the Indonesian public perception ranking the police as the country's most corrupt institution, when he basically branded the findings of the Indonesian Chapter of Transparency International (TI) as rubbish. But with such rampant red tape, bribery and even extortion -- just look how police extort motorists for example -- perhaps even the general's colleagues in the force would laugh at his denial.


In the TI 2007 Global Corruption Barometer issued last week, Indonesian respondents listed the police as the most corrupt institution, followed by the courts, legislatures and political parties. The findings are not surprising, since it approached members of the public, who made their observations from their personal experience in daily life. In nearly all sectors, the police are widely perceived as corrupt and connected with money. Hearing the result must have made the national police ashamed and mad, but they embarrassed themselves further in their overreaction. The police response was as farcical as a soap opera, when they questioned the survey's credibility and purpose. On one occasion, a police spokesman reportedly announced that the result was like people's mind's were being poisoned or brainwashed. His response shows just how panicked and ashamed the police were.


Unfortunately, the police' case in defense has not really held up. Indonesian people are not stupid, and realize what is happening from their own experience. The accusation that TI was brainwashing the public is simply illogical. On the streets we can easily find police stopping motorists for traffic violations (and sometimes just with false accusation to pay for police officers to get coffee or cigarettes). Motorists just have to bribe police on the spot and then they can go. This is also an example of corruption. Police do not need to ask TI to prove its findings, but should open their eyes and hearts, and face the facts. The police should also not be overreacting like actors on television. The result may not be pleasing, but they should look to the House of Representatives' example. The legislators gave a more positive response to the findings and did not get mad like the police. The national police should take the result as constructive criticism, because their the accusations make them look arrogant. I think everyone would agree not all officers commit corruption.


People want to have a great national police force and know the police are trying to build an image of a respectable institution. The police have had some success in tackling big issues like drugs and terrorism, but if police on the streets and behind the scenes continually ask for bribes, their public image will not improve. In order to fix the system, police should conduct internal reforms, bring discipline to police officers and teach them not to ask for bribes, ever. We do not want to be in a situation where one corrupt institution chases another. Whether or not we will see the development of a strong, great and clean national police force is perhaps a dream that can only be realized by the national police themselves. The writer is a student of Atma Jaya University's faculty of education. He can be reached at http://sg.f586.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=michaelsetiawan%40hotmail.com

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