Democratization and Indonesia’s Anticorruption Movement

Abstract

This chapter begins with a discussion of the history of anticorruption activism during the New Order and the early days of reformasi before discussing the opportunities and challenges leveled by Indonesia’s democratic transition. Before 1998, protests were often triggered by concerns such as increases in the price of basic goods like food or fuel, but this discontent then fed into an underlying narrative that portrayed ordinary citizens as bearing the brunt of corruption. These protests were met with repression, including restrictions on student activity and prison sentences, though some instances did prompt lukewarm changes to policy. During this period, the anticorruption cause held widespread public appeal, but the movement was far from unified. This changed somewhat after reformasi, when the movement professionalized with the establishment of a dedicated group of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) committed to fighting for transparency and accountability as well as the establishment of the KPK and a network of anticorruption courts (Pengadilan Tindak Pidana Korupsi, Tipikor). Since then, there have been numerous high-profile arrests and localized anticorruption programs have had some success in bringing corrupt individuals to justice. But, despite these advances, widespread corruption continues. This outcome is not entirely surprising, since postauthoritarian contexts also offer opportunities for new forms of corruption with new political elites coming to the fore (Harriss-White and White 1996). Whether the anticorruption movement has the capacity to temper these interests in the post-reformasi era is a question yet to be answered.