Mahfud MD: Corruption Must Be Interpreted As A Crime That Must Be Fought

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD / Via Youtube KPK RI

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD asked all parties to unite to strengthen the anti-corruption culture. This step is considered important in order to prevent corrupt practices from becoming a culture in society.

This was conveyed when he was the keynote speaker in the Panel Discussion activity: Creating Synergy Between Law Enforcement Officials and Related Agencies. This event was carried out ahead of the commemoration of World Anti-Corruption Day (Hakordia) 2021 which will be commemorated on 9 December.

Starting his statement, Mahfud mentioned the writings of the First Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia, Muhammad Hatta. According to him, in 1974, Bung Hatta once said that corruption had become a culture in the country.

"This anti-corruption culture is important because we in Indonesia have heard and can reopen Bung Hatta's 1974 article which said that in Indonesia corruption has become a culture. Wow, Bung Hatta, who said that corruption has become a culture in Indonesia," said Mahfud as which aired on the KPK RI YouTube, Monday, December 6.

However, Mahfud did not agree with this statement. For him, what Bung Hatta said was only a reminder so that corruption would not run rampant.

He also emphasized that corruption is not a culture but a form of crime that must be punished. "For me, Pak Hatta's statement is a possible statement to remind us, not to become a culture," he said.

"That there is corruption in Indonesia and quite a lot of it is a crime, it must be seen as a crime not as a culture," added the former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court (MK).

Mahfud then reminded all parties not to allow opinions if corruption is a national culture.

"Corruption must be interpreted as a crime that must be fought. For that we are going through now to build the antithesis, namely an anti-corruption culture, not a corruption culture," he said.

"From a scientific point of view, corruption cannot become a culture and cannot become an Indonesian culture. Why, because Indonesians have a noble culture. Adiluhung is a superior culture, a superior culture that is anti-corruption," he concluded.