Jakarta. Chief Legal Affairs Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra acknowledged that Indonesia's anticorruption efforts have not been sufficient, despite earlier regulatory updates aimed at combating corruption.

Speaking at a national legal seminar on the revision of the Corruption Crime Act (UU Tipikor) on December. 10, 2024, Yusril emphasized the need for a refresh of laws to effectively eradicate corruption.

"During the early reform period, we made significant updates to corruption regulations quickly. However, the goal of a corruption-free Indonesia is still far from being achieved. This highlights the need to refresh our legislation and strengthen law enforcement's commitment to effectively combating corruption," said Yusril at the seminar, held at the ACLC building of the KPK in Jakarta on Tuesday evening.

Yusril further said that updating the corruption law is part of the broader political, legal, and bureaucratic reform agenda of the current government. He also called for alignment with international frameworks, such as the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), which Indonesia ratified in 2006.

"With the ratification of UNCAC, we are obligated to incorporate its provisions into national law. The regulations must align with international standards to facilitate more effective cross-border cooperation," he said.

The Chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Nawawi Pomolango, echoed the need for updates, pointing out that certain crimes, such as trading in influence, illicit enrichment, bribery in the private sector, and bribery of foreign public officials, are not covered under the current law.

"Several crimes are not yet covered in the current law. First, trading in influence, which often involves the abuse of power by officials in business transactions. Second, illicit enrichment, where the wealth increase of public officials cannot yet be used as grounds for prosecution in corruption cases. The asset reporting mechanism (LHKPN) managed by KPK is insufficient for indictments. Bribery in the private sector and bribery of foreign public officials are also not covered," Nawawi concluded.

Indonesia's Corruption Perception Index (CPI), published by Transparency International,  has fluctuated over the years. The country’s CPI score reached its peak in 2019 at 40, ranking 85th out of 180 countries. However, from 2022 to 2024, Indonesia's score dropped to 34, ranking 110th out of 180 countries.

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