JAKARTA - Former senior investigator of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Praswad Nugraha, assessed that corruption practices in the procurement of goods and services (PBJ) sector did not occur spontaneously. The perpetrators are said to have had a plan and a systematic agreement between state organizers and private parties even before the project was underway.
"The pattern of corruption in the procurement of goods and services shows that the deviation did not occur suddenly and randomly, but was designed from the beginning," said Praswad in a written statement, Thursday, April 23.
"Modus such as panjer money, ijon projects, to commitment fees indicate that there is an early agreement between the state organizer and the private party, even before the planning and auction process begins," he continued.
Praswad also highlighted KPK data which recorded 25 percent of corruption cases originating from the PBJ sector. According to him, in substance, all corruption practices are actually intertwined with procurement and licensing.
"In practice, almost all corruption crimes have a slice with two main sectors, namely procurement of goods and services and licensing," he said.
Furthermore, he assessed that the prevention efforts that have been carried out so far have not been effective enough to break the chain of corruption in the sector.
"Efforts such as socialization or strengthening the system alone will not be able to break the chain of corruption without being accompanied by consistent and firm action without discrimination against the perpetrators," he explained.
Moreover, corruption practices in the PBJ often involve two directions of interests, both from officials who abuse their authority and private parties who offer rewards.
"The practice of corruption in this sector is also not standing alone, but is interrelated with other aspects such as licensing and extortion. The initiation can come from both parties," he said.
Therefore, the role of the community in overseeing the procurement process so that it is more transparent and accountable is very necessary.
"Public participation is not enough if it is only a call, but must be supported by access, transparency, and mechanisms that allow the public to effectively monitor the procurement process," he said.
In addition, eradicating corruption in the PBJ sector cannot be done half-heartedly and requires a combination of firm action and comprehensive system improvement.
"Courage is needed in enforcement, thorough system improvement, and a stronger active role for the community, so that corruption practices can be suppressed and the management of state budgets is more transparent and accountable," concluded Praswad.
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