'We Will Never Stop Fight Against Corruption': Jokowi

Jakarta Globe, Carlos KY Paath & Eko Prasetyo, December 01, 2016

President Joko Widodo at the National Conference on Eradicating Corruption
in Jakarta on Thursday (01/12). (Antara Photo/Yudhi Mahatma)

Jakarta. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said one of his administration's main goals is to fight corruption and highlighted the hundreds of high-profile figures who have been given prison sentences for corruption as proof during a speech at the National Conference in Corruption Eradication, or KNPK 2016, in Jakarta on Thursday (01/12).

"Every government official, including me, is committed to the fight against corruption. We will never stop," Jokowi said.

According to the president, 122 House of Representatives and Regional Legislative Council members, 25 ministers or heads of institutions, four ambassadors, seven commissioners, 17 governors, 51 mayors and district heads, 130 state officials and 14 judges have been sent to prison during his administration.

"We should give ourselves a pat on the back. The fewer people go to prison, the more successful we are at fighting corruption," Jokowi told the audience at the conference.

"We want to keep improving the public service and make our system of government more effective. But we have three big problems: corruption, bureaucratic inefficiency and lack of infrastructure. We have to try to solve all of these at the same time," he added.

Jokowi said so far corruptors are still defying the law, though many of them had been arrested and imprisoned.

"Corruption is still a big problem. The situation is desperate but we shouldn't give up. Everyone has to get involved: government officials, lawmakers, law enforcers, the private sector and the public."