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Mudik or the
homeward trip ahead of Idul Fitri holiday by use of official vehicles has
become a burning issue. For years people have been accustomed to witnessing
state officials doing the Idul Fitri drive in official vehicles.
The practice has triggered public controversy over its legality. Many believe that it constitutes an act of “official corruption” because the government allows it to happen.
Based on the Transparency International Indonesia (TII) report, no less than 20 regional heads approve the practice, which obviously is against the Law on corruption and the Law on state budget. Usually the regional heads allow their subordinates to (mis)use state facilities for private purposes as an incentive, not to mention the fact that civil servants do not officially receive holiday allowance, unlike workers.
Legally speaking, based on Corruption Law No. 20/2001 Article 3, the use of official vehicles for personal travel is categorized as corruption, with a prison sentence ranging from one to 20 years or life imprisonment.
State officials will definitely enjoy the personal benefits of using official vehicles for their Idul Fitri trips. They do not have to pay for vehicle maintenance, which is covered by the state. The maintenance cost is eventually detrimental to state budget, or in other words it is a waste of state budget.
The improper use of official cars ahead of Idul Fitri also runs counter the principle of good governance, in which the government’s delivery of goods and services should benefit the public and call for accountability.
Therefore, any attempts or policies to divert state belongings into personal benefits are unacceptable. Official vehicles are nothing more than the means to achieve public benefit in a wider context.
Despite the threat of a heavy prison term facing state officials who misuse state property and a recent ban of the practice issued by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), many regional heads seem to support and justify the practice. Every year official cars were visible in tourist sites, shopping malls and remote villages across the country during Idul Fitri holiday.
Amid the backlog of graft cases it has to investigate, the KPK is expected to take action and enforce the law against regional leaders as well as the officials. At the local level, the KPK will play a less significant role in handling the case without assistance from governors by, for instance, issuing a decree that bans the use of official cars for private interests, including mudik. The decree must stipulate sanctions, such as demotion or a delay in salary increase.
The KPK, TII and other anticorruption campaigners like Indonesian Corruption Watch could put pressure on Home Minister Gamawan Fauzi to issue a regulation banning the use of state property during Idul Fitri. The regulation could not only penalize regional heads who justify the violation but also reward those who strictly ban the use of official vehicles for personal purposes.
Hence, praise should be lavished on regional heads for giving strict alerts on using official cars for mudik. Failure to act against the rampant misuse of official vehicles will create double impacts: worsening the law enforcement agencies crisis of confidence and confirming the country’s bill as the most corrupt nation in the world.
The social and budget management implications of the failure to prohibit the use of official vehicles for mudik cannot be taken lightly. There has been a significant rise in the taxpayers resistance to the rampant misuse of official cars during the Idul Fitri holiday. Taxpayers have become more aware of their rights and social and economic benefits in exchange for the tax they pay.
Dissatisfaction with the misuse of public money – in this case the misuse of official cars – will very much contribute to social jealousy, which will probably increase the crime rate and mass disobedience.
Lastly, it is likely to say the use of official vehicles for personal trips will by all means hurt regional budget. The allocation of budget for public services will instead be disbursed to maintain, or perhaps repair, official cars the government officials will exclusively enjoy.
Imagine every year the regional budget has to allocate purchase of new official cars since the old ones have been broken due to personal use. What a waste of public money leading to an endless circle of corruption. ●
The practice has triggered public controversy over its legality. Many believe that it constitutes an act of “official corruption” because the government allows it to happen.
Based on the Transparency International Indonesia (TII) report, no less than 20 regional heads approve the practice, which obviously is against the Law on corruption and the Law on state budget. Usually the regional heads allow their subordinates to (mis)use state facilities for private purposes as an incentive, not to mention the fact that civil servants do not officially receive holiday allowance, unlike workers.
Legally speaking, based on Corruption Law No. 20/2001 Article 3, the use of official vehicles for personal travel is categorized as corruption, with a prison sentence ranging from one to 20 years or life imprisonment.
State officials will definitely enjoy the personal benefits of using official vehicles for their Idul Fitri trips. They do not have to pay for vehicle maintenance, which is covered by the state. The maintenance cost is eventually detrimental to state budget, or in other words it is a waste of state budget.
The improper use of official cars ahead of Idul Fitri also runs counter the principle of good governance, in which the government’s delivery of goods and services should benefit the public and call for accountability.
Therefore, any attempts or policies to divert state belongings into personal benefits are unacceptable. Official vehicles are nothing more than the means to achieve public benefit in a wider context.
Despite the threat of a heavy prison term facing state officials who misuse state property and a recent ban of the practice issued by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), many regional heads seem to support and justify the practice. Every year official cars were visible in tourist sites, shopping malls and remote villages across the country during Idul Fitri holiday.
Amid the backlog of graft cases it has to investigate, the KPK is expected to take action and enforce the law against regional leaders as well as the officials. At the local level, the KPK will play a less significant role in handling the case without assistance from governors by, for instance, issuing a decree that bans the use of official cars for private interests, including mudik. The decree must stipulate sanctions, such as demotion or a delay in salary increase.
The KPK, TII and other anticorruption campaigners like Indonesian Corruption Watch could put pressure on Home Minister Gamawan Fauzi to issue a regulation banning the use of state property during Idul Fitri. The regulation could not only penalize regional heads who justify the violation but also reward those who strictly ban the use of official vehicles for personal purposes.
Hence, praise should be lavished on regional heads for giving strict alerts on using official cars for mudik. Failure to act against the rampant misuse of official vehicles will create double impacts: worsening the law enforcement agencies crisis of confidence and confirming the country’s bill as the most corrupt nation in the world.
The social and budget management implications of the failure to prohibit the use of official vehicles for mudik cannot be taken lightly. There has been a significant rise in the taxpayers resistance to the rampant misuse of official cars during the Idul Fitri holiday. Taxpayers have become more aware of their rights and social and economic benefits in exchange for the tax they pay.
Dissatisfaction with the misuse of public money – in this case the misuse of official cars – will very much contribute to social jealousy, which will probably increase the crime rate and mass disobedience.
Lastly, it is likely to say the use of official vehicles for personal trips will by all means hurt regional budget. The allocation of budget for public services will instead be disbursed to maintain, or perhaps repair, official cars the government officials will exclusively enjoy.
Imagine every year the regional budget has to allocate purchase of new official cars since the old ones have been broken due to personal use. What a waste of public money leading to an endless circle of corruption. ●
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