PKS Faction in House not to disclose names of gratification givers

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Properous Justice Party (PKS) faction in the House of Representatives (DPR)reported the gratification funds its members had received, and returned the money to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), in an effort to promote "good governance," a spokesman said.

"What we want to achieve is the realization of goodgovernance and not adding to the list of people who must be investigated," PKS faction chairman Mahfud Siddiq said here Saturday.

Earlier, on Friday (April 11), Siddiq disclosed his faction had turned over Rp1.9 billion in gratification funds faction members had received in the period December 2005-January 2008 to the KPK.

 

The amount included 38,000 US dollars and 33,000 Singapore dollars received from fellow legislators invarious House commissions.

Siddiq was commenting on a suggestion from Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) activist Emerson Juntho that the PKS faction should also reveal the names of the people from whom the gratification money was received so that the KPK could take follow-up actions.

Siddiq said the PKS faction had indeed not publicized the identities of the gratification givers but made a deal with the KPK.

"To us, the important thing is not disclosure of those who gave us the money but how our action can spur the legislative and executive branches to make more serious common efforts to overcome this bribery problem," he said.

Siddiq also said his faction`s action had nothing to do with any agenda for the 2009 general elections "but with the fact that there is a serious problem in the DPR."

The PKS faction`s initiative was meant as a signal to the legislature and the government it was time for them to make a common commitment to eradicate corruption, including gratification which often amounted to bribery, he said.

(*)COPYRIGHT © 2008 ANTARA

• Next >