Daendels Prevents Corruption By Raising Salaries Of Dutch East Indies Officials In Today's History, 18 August 1808

Portrait of Governor General Herman Willem Daendels in a painting by Raden Saleh. (Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA History today, 215 years ago, August 18, 1808, Governor General of the Dutch East Indies, Herman Willem Daendels prevented corruption by raising the salaries of all Dutch East Indies officials. He issued a special decree for that and started operating from the Province of the East East Java (Central Java, Yogyakarta, to East Java).

Previously, corruption was a tradition that had been perpetuated by Dutch colonialists since time immemorial. Even the corruption that occurred did not only take place among the upper class, but had spread to lowly employees.

Showcase of wealth was once considered an achievement throughout the Dutch colonial era. Dutch trading airline official, VOC showed off everything. From luxury homes to the number of slaves. Everything is considered an achievement. Because, most Company officials were not born in wealth.

Sometimes these officials come from those who don't have one in the Netherlands. Some are orphans. There are also those who lack education, and some are from bankrupt families. The only option to return to life is to become a Company employee.

This success has been proven by many people. They piled up wealth and spree in the archipelago, then chose to retire in their hometowns in Europe. The narrative above a glimpse is like a fairy tale. But, unfortunately it's the real world version.

The only problem is the way they get wealth. All VOC officials from the top to the bottom just perpetuate corruption. That fact is because the salary of a Company official is so small.

The small salary earned will not be able to buy luxury in the archipelago. As a result, corrupt practices make them New Rich People (OKB). All kinds of items that increase social status they buy and collect.

A portrait of luxury that in fact will not be obtained if you choose a Dutch career. That practice continued until the VOC went bankrupt and left behind a lot of debt in 1799.

VOCs are like all political/economic organizations at that time, only giving a nominal salary, just a binding money. A Governor of the North Coast of Java, for example, only paid 80 guilders a month and asked for the salary to be given to his family in Holland (Netherlands). Therefore, VOC officials, who should trade for the benefit of their employer, are actually trying for their own benefit.

"In the terms of Kompeni officials, they can do their own business after trading for the VOC and that is called marshandel (the remaining trade). However, the Kompeni ships departing from Java contain so many remaining trade items belonging to the Company officials, and only a few official items," said Historian Ong Hok Ham in the book Wahyu yang Hilang, Guncang Country (2018).

The collapse of the Company was quickly anticipated by the Dutch colonialists. The power of attorney then created a new government. The colonial government of the Dutch East Indies, his name. The replacement in fact did not make the problem of corruption disappear.

The behavior of corrupt officials continues to last. Everything just changed when Dutch King Louis Napoleon (Adik Napoleon Bonaparte) sent Herman Willem Daendels as the new Governor General of the Dutch East Indies in early 1808.

Daendels also worked hard to lose the mentality of corruption in Dutch East Indies officials. He, who served from January, issued an important decree containing the content of eradicating corruption seven months later, or on August 18, 1808.

The decree contained an order to increase the salaries of all Dutch East Indies officials starting from the Province of the Easteastern Coast of Java. This policy makes all kinds of acting for positions for corruption difficult. In fact, Daendels then did not hesitate to sentence officials who were caught harming the country in large numbers.

One of the actions taken by the new Governor General was total administrative reform. Until the Daendels period, all Dutch regions east of Cirebon formed one province, the Province of the East East Coast of Java. The provincial governor, because various tunants' related to his position, enjoyed an annual income of 100,000 guilders, meanwhile, if we accept Daendels' words, government income from the region is practically zero.

Dengan dekrit 18 Agustus 1808 provinsi itu dibagikan ke dalam lima presectorat dan 38 kabupaten. Semua pejabat menerima ketinggungan militer dan salukaan memadai. Tajuan suap dari bupati-bupati Jawa, keuntungan khusus, semua penyalahgunaan ini harus dihentikan, terang Bernard HM Vlekke dalam bukuNusantara(2008).