Is Indonesia as Corrupt as Most People Believe and is it Getting Worse?

Abstract

Many Indonesians consider their country one of the most corrupt in the world, and think it is getting worse. But is it really that bad? It could be argued that the publicity resulting from the efforts to curb corruption in Reformasi Indonesia – where the press is now free – has created the impression that corruption is getting worse, when the situation may, in fact, be improving. Who is right? And what are the prospects for reducing corruption once Yudhoyono steps down in 2014? Professor Howard Dick and Associate Professor Simon Butt consider these questions and examine the problems of measuring corruption, including a range of indexes. They discuss post-Soeharto anti-corruption reforms, the role of Indonesia’s Anti-Corruption Commission (KPK), the high level of publicity surrounding corruption cases, and how the KPK has become the target of continuing political attack.