"Efforts in fighting corruption is like a marathon run, not a sprint which is fast and this requires perserverance and support from all parties is needed for it to reach the finish line," he said in his speech at a conference titled "Shaping a New World: Combating Foreign Bribery in International Business Transactions," here on Tuesday.
He said based on his experience one of the main keys to the success of corruption eradication is implementing a systemic corruption eradication effort.
"The effort must be holistic meaning we must dig in from ragtag involving all stakeholders in all layers and assuring that efforts in combating bribery are also implemented," he said.
President Yudhoyono said with a systematic effort the integrity of the system is protected from briberies and mark-ups and deals at upper levels.
He said "systematic efforts mean bureaucratic reform and assuring that bureaucrats are paid well enough so that they would not seek extra-income illegally."
President Yudhoyono also emphasized the important of involving private parties, independent ombudsman, and continued communications between the government and business circles.
He also reminded that corruption eradication efforts had to be done continuously to give a maximum result. He referred to the success of the government of Hong Kong in saving the city from corruption.
"Like a field. Unless we are not tending it dilligently weeds would certainly grow there," he said.
So, he said, unless we are lazy in fighting it corruption would certainly spread and control the community.
The conference was attended by no less than 400 invitees from more than 20 countries. The conference was later followed up with meetings of anti-corruption working groups of the G-20 countries.(*)
(H-YH/HAJM/B003)
Editor: Ruslan Burhani
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
