Indonesian Police Warned Off the Golf Course to Avoid Corruption
With so much pressure on the National Police these days, there must be quite a few officers needing to unwind. How about a round of golf to relax off-duty?
Not for long, if one lawmaker gets their way. The House of Representatives Commission III, overseeing legal affairs, has heard that police officers should abstain from golf as it could raise their risk of being approached by “case brokers.”
Lawmaker Harry Wicaksono made the suggestion in a hearing on Thursday between the committee and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Attorney General’s Office and National Police. Legislators called on all three agencies to get serious about fighting case brokers operating in the shadows of their offices.
Case brokers are middlemen paid to negotiate bribes between those in legal trouble and officials to make charges disappear. The shocking extent of the practice became clear when wiretapped phone conversations recently showed brokers were central to an alleged plot to frame two KPK deputy chairmen for bribery.
“There are many ways case brokers can gain access to law enforcement agencies, for example through friendship or through relatives,” Harry said. “I ask police officials not to play golf. Golf is one of the entry points for case brokers.” He said golf was often used by brokers to lobby and discuss cases with officers. “There’s no golf culture in the KPK, so maybe they can be a good example.”
