Deputy Chairman Of The Corruption Eradication Commission: Religion In Indonesia Doesn't Justify Receiving Gratuities

Illustration of gratuity (janeb13 / Pixabay)

JAKARTA - KPK Deputy Chairman Nurul Ghufron appreciates the Ministry of Religion for publishing a book entitled Gratification in a Religious Perspective. Ghufron hopes that the book can explain further about the giving of gifts, donations, alms, wages and buying and selling which are often equated with gratuities.

He said that no religion in Indonesia allows gratuities to be granted. So that with this book, it is hoped that the public can further understand the problem of gratification from a religious perspective.

"Religion in Indonesia does not accept gratification. In principle, gifts between human beings may even be encouraged to give to one another as long as it is not related to position, requirements and goals," Ghufron said as quoted on the Ministry of Religion website, Wednesday, July 8.

Furthermore, Ghufron explained, what should not be given to state officials with certain aims and purposes.

"Because it is feared that the gift will affect when deciding on policies. That is why in the Corruption Eradication Commission Law No. 31/1999 giving gifts to officials is prohibited," he explained.

Moreover, gratuities or gifts to officials can be an investment for the giver. The reason is, the giver can later influence the recipient at a later date. Moreover, gratification and bribery are different, because bribery begins with a physical encounter between the bribe giver and recipient to reach an agreement.

"Thank you to the Ministry of Religion for providing an overview in the book Gratification in a Religious Perspective, so that it is not impressed that gratification is the same as a gift. Infaq and alms are different from gratification," he concluded.