VOA标准英语2009-Indonesia's Anti-Corruption Effort Faces Thr

Indonesia ranks in the bottom of the corruption² perception index in Asia, and its citizen often name graft³ as the main problem in their country. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who is running for a new term in next month's presidential election July 8, owes much of his popularity to his clean image and record of fighting corruption. But much remains⁴ to be accomplished⁵ before Indonesia can say it has beaten corruption.

During Indonesia's ongoing⁶ election campaign, it seems the candidates have made corruption their highest priority. Some small political parties have hung large banners throughout Jakarta, demanding the death penalty for the corrupt¹.
　
President Yudhoyono, left, and his running mate Boediono, right, wave to supporters during a campaign rally in Solo, Indonesia, 29 Jun 2009

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, however, has the advantage in this issue. During his term in office, the country has seen several prominent anti-corruption cases investigated by the highly feared and highly revered⁷ Corruption Eradication⁸ Commission, or KPK.

"KPK is like, you know, an island of integrity in a sea of corruption in Indonesia. KPK has become a hope, and also a hero for the public," said Danang Widoyoko, the coordinator⁹ of the civic¹⁰ group Indonesian Corruption Watch.

Even the recent arrest of the KPK's chief on murder charges has not seriously dented¹¹ the commission's reputation. Its record speaks for itself: a 100 percent conviction rate for cases involving some of the country's highest-ranking officials.

In comparison, in more than half the corruption cases brought to ordinary courts, the suspect walks free. The judiciary is considered one of the most corrupt institutions in Indonesia.
　
Indonesia's Corruption Eradication Commission chief Antasari Azhar, center, going to questioning in Jakarta, Indonesia, 04 May 2009

The key to KPK's success is its total independence to investigate and prosecute¹² cases in a special anti-corruption court. But Widoyoko warns that the KPK's powers may be in danger, because this year Parliament must pass a law to allow it to keep its independent court.

"If the KPK had to go to ordinary courts, then it would have problems with corruption and also the uncertain legal processes in the ordinary courts," added Danang Widoyoko. "You know, the problem is that we have a corrupt political system, so we're in very, very hard times now, because the MPs [members of parliament] will try to reduce, one by one, the KPK authority."

There are concerns that Parliament may not act to protect the independence of the corruption court.

Mochammad Yasin, one of the four KPK commissioners¹³, says that he is not surprised to see a lack of support from Parliament.

"We're handling high-ranking officers including ministers, ambassadors, the former director of the central bank, the chief of police, including members of the Parliament, so this is why the Parliament doesn't like us," he said. "But we believe that we can maintain ourselves because we have a strong support from the public."

Each candidate in the July 8 presidential election pledges to issue a decree protecting the KPK's authority if Parliament fails to pass the law before the December deadline.

But Todung Mulya Lubis, the president of corruption watchdog Transparency International in Indonesia, says campaign promises are not enough.

"You can not put people to jail as the only answer to fight corruption, you know, because you put one million people to jail, then you'd have another two million committed to corruption. It is not the only answer," said Mulya Lubis. "The other answer is a system that guarantees transparency and accountability. You could have that if you could have bureaucratic¹⁴ reform taking place in this country."

Only the Ministry¹⁵ of Finance has started to reform its bureaucracy, under Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati. But she says it has not been easy to change the way employees think.

"You have to admit: we are all committing this crime. The corruption is not because of greed - or maybe, some of it only," she said. "It's because the system is so bad that it makes it impossible for them to become a good public officer. Once the system becomes right, I expect your behavior to also follow the right things.

Business people say that in the Ministry of Finance, corruption has sharply declined. Tax and customs revenues are up, and business leaders say the processes are smoother and efficiency higher. Even though investors¹⁶ still complain about red tape, the situation is far better than with other ministries¹⁷.

Reforming the countless¹⁸ central and local administrations remains a huge challenge that will have to be addressed by the next President. But anti-corruption experts say a radical¹⁹ transformation²⁰ of graft-ridden Indonesia will demand tremendous political will and skill.

1 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

2 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

3 graft   

n.移植，嫁接，艰苦工作，贪污；v.移植，嫁接

参考例句：

• I am having a skin graft on my arm soon.我马上就要接受手臂的皮肤移植手术。
• The minister became rich through graft.这位部长透过贪污受贿致富。

4 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

5 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

6 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

7 revered   

v.崇敬，尊崇，敬畏( revere的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• A number of institutions revered and respected in earlier times have become Aunt Sally for the present generation. 一些早年受到尊崇的惯例，现在已经成了这代人嘲弄的对象了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Chinese revered corn as a gift from heaven. 中国人将谷物奉为上天的恩赐。 来自辞典例句

8 eradication   

n.根除

参考例句：

• The eradication of an established infestation is not easy. 根除昆虫蔓延是不容易的。
• This is often required for intelligent control and eradication. 这经常需要灵巧的控制与消除。

9 coordinator   

n.协调人

参考例句：

• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。
• How am I supposed to find the client-relations coordinator? 我怎么才能找到客户关系协调员的办公室？

10 civic   

adj.城市的，都市的，市民的，公民的

参考例句：

• I feel it is my civic duty to vote.我认为投票选举是我作为公民的义务。
• The civic leaders helped to forward the project.市政府领导者协助促进工程的进展。

11 dented   

v.使产生凹痕( dent的过去式和过去分词 )；损害；伤害；挫伤（信心、名誉等）

参考例句：

• The back of the car was badly dented in the collision. 汽车尾部被撞后严重凹陷。
• I'm afraid I've dented the car. 恐怕我把车子撞瘪了一些。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 prosecute   

vt.告发；进行；vi.告发，起诉，作检察官

参考例句：

• I am trying my best to prosecute my duties.我正在尽力履行我的职责。
• Is there enough evidence to prosecute?有没有起诉的足够证据？

13 commissioners   

n.专员( commissioner的名词复数 )；长官；委员；政府部门的长官

参考例句：

• The Commissioners of Inland Revenue control British national taxes. 国家税收委员管理英国全国的税收。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The SEC has five commissioners who are appointed by the president. 证券交易委员会有５名委员，是由总统任命的。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

14 bureaucratic   

adj.官僚的，繁文缛节的

参考例句：

• The sweat of labour washed away his bureaucratic airs.劳动的汗水冲掉了他身上的官气。
• In this company you have to go through complex bureaucratic procedures just to get a new pencil.在这个公司里即使是领一支新铅笔，也必须通过繁琐的手续。

15 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

16 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

17 ministries   

（政府的）部( ministry的名词复数 )； 神职； 牧师职位； 神职任期

参考例句：

• Local authorities must refer everything to the central ministries. 地方管理机构应请示中央主管部门。
• The number of Ministries has been pared down by a third. 部委的数量已经减少了1/3。

18 countless   

adj.无数的，多得不计其数的

参考例句：

• In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
• I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

19 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

20 transformation   

n.变化；改造；转变

参考例句：

• Going to college brought about a dramatic transformation in her outlook.上大学使她的观念发生了巨大的变化。
• He was struggling to make the transformation from single man to responsible husband.他正在努力使自己由单身汉变为可靠的丈夫。