Multi-Corruption Has BEEN DAMAGED Since The VOC Power Period In The Archipelago

The Dutch merchant association which became the forerunner of the establishment of the Verenoigde Oostindische Compagnie or VOC trading airline in the archipelago. (Dutch Maritime Museum)

JAKARTA - Corruption is not new to employees of the Dutch Chamber of Commerce, the VOC. Like a life that likes to be foya is behind it. They want to imitate the life of the King of Java who is surrounded by luxury. Nothing interferes with their existence in enriching themselves.

Moreover, corruption is not only carried out by one or two people, but is carried out in congregation. From low-ranking officials to the Governor General's class. Therefore, the VOC is often preserved to become a Vergaan Onder Corruptionie (Binasa As a result of Corruption).

Profession as a Company employee was once the prima donna. Dutch people who have low education and poor are competing to enter the Company. They consider working with the Company like a vehicle to change their fate.

The recruitment requirements are not difficult. As long as they are not Catholics, each Dutchman has the opportunity to become a VOC employee. The only risk they face is preparing to release all kinds of life in the Netherlands and start living in the archipelago.

They had to bet living in the ocean for months. Not bringing relatives either. They were then placed in a colony, one of which was in the archipelago. Good luck accompanies the lives of many Company officials.

Those who were not once Dutch were respected, sped up to become first-class citizens. Access to positions and money makes them rich. Instead of saving money, they perpetuate a new hobby: fun.

The prestige of wealth andval parties has become a habit in the colony. Steps are considered a means of revenge because in the Netherlands they were born poor. They did not want to repeat that gloomy life. As a result, they in the archipelago enjoyed life.

Even though they don't want to stay in the archipelago forever. Kompeni officials only consider the archipelago as a money field. After the contract with the VOC is completed, they immediately return to their homeland with wealth.

The complaint that the Dutch are immoral and enthusiastic is still valid. They drink and laze more often, while young women only like to show off their wealth so that it becomes a bad example for the Company's employees. Especially women who can't adapt to the tropical climate."

They often complain and speak out loud about wanting to be able to sail back to their homeland soon. However, once they were on the ship, they suffered greatly because they had to live in narrow cabins without the help of the slaves so that many of them then returned to complaining, "Loumeijer historian Hendrik E. Niemeijer in the book Batavia: Colonial Society of the XVII Century (2012).

The luxurious lifestyle of VOC officials is not only supported by salaries. Moreover, the salary received by VOC officials is often just like that, if you don't want to say it's small. Compeni officials then rack their brains. The only option that was easy and profitable at that time was corruption.

The practice of corruption among the Company's employees has been rooted. In fact, corruption has been perpetuated by low-level officials to the Governor-General of the VOC. The effort to enrich yourself was almost carried out by almost all VOC employees. Allied corruption in the congregation.

congregational corruption is carried out in various ways. Among other things, weighing manipulation, sales of positions, trade monopoly, and so on. The effort took place from the beginning of the Company's existence. The Company then got bad luck. They lost money. Meanwhile, corrupt VOC officials get a profit from being profitable because trade profits enter their personal pockets.

The behavior of congregational corruption continues to last. No one has the guts to eradicate it. As a result, people often call the VOC the Vergaan Onder Corruptionie (Binasa As a result of Corruption). Even the Company ended up going bankrupt because of its loss. In fact, it has mounting debts.

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

"In terms of the VOC officials, they can indeed try their own after trading for the VOC' and it is called marshadel (the remaining trade). However, the VOC ships departing from Java contain so much of the remaining trade goods belonging to private VOC officials, and only a few official items," said historian Ong Hok Ham in the book Kehilang Wahyu, Guncang Country (2018).