The Development of Corruption in Indonesia (is Corruption a Culture of Indonesia?)

Abstract

-The problem of corruption in Indonesia continues to be headlines almost every day in the Indonesian media. Even after the New Order's authoritarian regime collapsed, it was clear that the practice of corruption had proven to be a tradition and culture which had widespread, entrenched and influenced the community and the Indonesian bureaucratic system, starting from the center to the lowest level of power. The community becomes familiar with the practices of corruption that occur around them and even it raises a view that corruption has become part of the culture. This paper discusses corruption practices before and after independence. The practice of corruption before independence included the reign of the archipelago kingdoms and the era of Dutch occupation. While the practice of corruption in the period after independence was in the era of the Old Order, the New Order and the Reformation, including efforts to fight corruption. However, the efforts to eradicate corruption are not as easy as turning hands. The inadequacy of the law in the presence of powerful people plus the lack of commitment from the government elite are the source of why corruption still thrives and becomes a culture in Indonesia. Surely, this negative situation must be resisted because both in Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution are never written that corruption is a culture that exists in this country.