(Tempo) Corruption and Local Chieftains

12/12/2018

The arrest of Fuad Amin Imron, speaker of the Bangkalan House of Representatives (DPRD) in Madura, by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) can be a starting point to uncover similar crimes in other areas. The bribes in exchange for a contract to purchase oil and gas carried out by Fuad can be easily replicated in many places around the country. The KPK's move to expose this case must be supported. What this anti-graft commission now faces are the little kings in their fiefdoms, who use money and their position to silence law enforcers in their areas.

The method used by Fuad, a member of the Gerindra Party, is actually nothing new. When he became regent in 2007, Fuad issued a license allowing the purchase of oil and gas from state-owned company Pertamina to Media Karya Sentosa, a company in cahoots with Sumber Daya, a company owned by the Bangkalan district government.

Such collaboration is legal, in line with Law No. 22/2001 on Oil and Gas, which states that a company owned by a local government has the right to receive 10 percent of the total oil and gas management contract. The system, which includes the participating interest is well-intended to ensure regions and local areas can benefit from the oil bonanza originating in their areas.

This right to sign contracts is what Fuad plays around with. Although the Media Karya company has not built its pipes as agreed, the contract keeps being extended. The KPK suspects that this bribery has been going on since 2007.

During his two terms (2003-2008 and 2008-2013) as regent, Fuad not only amassed great wealth, he also built a dynasty. The regent who succeeded Fuad is Makmun Ibnu Fuad, his own son. Money politics is believed to have played a significant role in getting his son elected as regent in 2013. Fuad also maintained his hold on power by placing his cronies in many important positions. He paid off non-governmental organizations and community leaders to retain their loyalty. Not surprisingly, Fuad was often referred to as Kanjeng or powerful overlord.

With such far-reaching influence, Fuad became an untouchable lord. He was once reported to have forged his academic degrees, but the charges were eventually dropped, just like that. He was once charged with having accepted a Rp1.3 billion bribe for a land clearance project. But this case also led nowhere. The suspicion of his massive wealth being spread around became nothing more than gossip without any legal action being taken.

In such a case, the KPK's role becomes very important. Law enforcement in the regions and local areas cannot seem to do much. It is unclear why, whether they are afraid or whether they might already be compromised. Furthermore, even if the person can be dragged to the corruption court, the sentence is never serious enough and he might even end up going free. This is why in the Bangkalan case, Fuad and his cronies involved in the case must be tried in Jakarta.

The KPK must also continue to pursue similar cases in other regions. There are scores of oil and gas contracts that are known to have been manipulated as well. These thieves usually work together with state-owned companies which manage 10 percent of the oil and gas blocks but rarely have the capacity to do the business. The requirement to work with the private sector is also often abused. These are the loopholes that are often misused by people of Fuad's stripe.

In order to do its work effectively, the KPK must increase the number of its investigators. Its budget should also be reviewed to reflect these added tasks. It must work with the newly formed Oil & Gas Reform Team to obtain data on the problematic contracts in different areas. These overlords stealing oil and gas money must be eliminated and uprooted.

JejakParlemen

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(Tempo) Corruption and Local Chieftains