Former Indonesian Minister Jero Wacik Sentenced to 4 Years in Jail
Former Indonesian Minister of Tourism (2004-2011) as well as former Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (2011-2014) Jero Wacik was sentenced to four years in prison and a IDR 150 million fine by the Jakarta Anti-Corruption Court on Tuesday (09/02) as he was found guilty of being involved in two embezzlement cases. Wacik is yet another example of a high positioned Indonesian politician that sees his career ended by a corruption scandal and prison sentence.
Prosecutors demanded a 9-year imprisonment for Wacik. However, after testimonies (which including former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Jusuf Kalla) the court decided to give four years, a IDR 150 million (approx. USD $11,000) and the reimbursement of IDR 5 billion (approx. USD $368 million) to compensate for state losses. He was found guilty of embezzling IDR 7 billion in operational funds for personal expenses during his time as Indonesia's Tourism Minister and another IDR 1 billion during his time as Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources.
In the latest annual Corruption Perceptions Index, compiled by Germany-based politically non-partisan Transparency International, Indonesia's ranking improved to 88th (from 107th in previous edition). Thus, Indonesia continues to rise through the ranks of the index. This is a very encouraging development indeed but it has to be emphasized that the country is still plagued by a high degree of (political) corruption. Transparency International's index measures the degree to which corruption is perceived to exist among public officials and politicians.
Further Reading:
• Analysis of Corruption in Indonesia
• Indonesia Improves in Transparency International's Corruption Index
• Corruption in Indonesia: Suryadharma Ali Found Guilty by Jakarta Corruption Court