There are many big corruption cases left unsolved during the 10-year administration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, political observer Boni Hargens said here on Wednesday.
Boni pointed to the Century bank scandal, allegedly involving ministers and individuals closed to the president at that time.
"I think it has been a tradition since the New Order Era (President Suharto administration)," he said at a political discussion on "Corruption and Power Reading History, recalling Sengkuni (political hypocrites)".
A number of ministers of the Yudhoyono cabinet and leaders of Democratic Party, which was founded by the former president, are serving jail term for corruption.
Boni, a member of the Council of Supervisors of Antara news agency, said the Century Bank scandal and other big corruption cases should be thoroughly investigated.
"M. Nazaruddin (former lawmaker and treasurer of the Democratic Party) should be made an asset to help uncover the cases and name who ever were involved in the big graft cases during the administration of SBY (Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono)," he said.
He said bolder move against corruption is necessary to provide a lesson for those in power not to enrich themselves by stealing state money.
Boni expressed concern with rampant practice of money politics to buy votes in the elections of regional leaders.
The people have no longer feeling of shame of being bribed as they think playing in politics are a game for money , he said.
"It is a misguided logic and it is the result of corruption and weak law enforcement," he said.
The people has reduced the meaning of politics and democracy to a game for money, he said.
"We should recover our self respect and democratic dignity. This is the ultimate goal of law enforcement," he said.
He called on all law enforcing agencies, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), police and the Attorney General office to follow President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) in his call for a breakthrough in mental revolution.
"Under President Jokowi there is a momentum of change that is a change in character he calls mental revolution at the level of law enforcement.
"Therefore, those legal cases have to be uncovered whatever the political risks," he said.
He said law enforcement should never stop at mere rhetoric but it should mean action.
"This big momentum (for change in mentality)is now in our hand with the Jokowi government, which is entirely oriented to change," he added.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2016
