When discussing corruption in Indonesia, hope is always a perilous bet. Nonetheless, there have been a few developments which might bode well for the future.
First, the Supreme Court has offered its support for dropping the prosecution – a process known as deponering – of the two KPK officials many believe were framed by the police. This is quite an about turn from even a few weeks ago, when the Court refused to halt the prosecution.
Second, according to The Jakarta Post, President SBY has appointed two reputable men to the posts of Attorney General and KPK Commissioner. The first, Basrief Arief, was a former deputy A-G and veteran of the department, and came on the recommendation of SBY’s respected Vice President Boediono.
Meanwhile, former Judicial Commission chief Busyro Muqoddas won a vote in the House of Representatives Committee III 43-12 to head the KPK. Busyro has been described as a staunch critic of the Supreme Court. He recently called corruption “a crime against humanity.”
Hopefully change at the top will lead to some improvement. However, unlike in 2004, SBY has lost quite a bit of political capital and momentum. It’s unclear whether these men will be allowed to do their jobs, or whether they’ll be stymied by the likes of Aburizal Bakrie.
Dominic J. Nardi, Jr. 
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