Busryo was reported to have said corruption could be more effectively fought if ministerial posts were given only to persons without political party affiliations.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Former industry minister Fahmi Idris Tuesday visited the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to protest the KPK chief`s recent statement accusing political party-affiliated ministers of using their positions only to siphon off public funds.
Fahmi, a long-time Golkar Party member who served as industry minister during President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono`s first term in office personally came to the KPK office to tell KPK chief Busyro Muqoddas he was offended by the latter`s statement.
The former minister told reporters he first wanted to get confirmation that the KPK chief had really made the statement in his lecture at the University of Indonesia on Friday (November 18).
In the lecture, Busryo was reported to have said corruption could be more effectively fought if ministerial posts were given only to persons without political party affiliations.
He said ministers from political parties would only use their offices to fill their own coffers.
Fahmi said he had come to the KPK office to check with Busyro personally whether he had really made the statement and, if so, to make it plain that he was clean although he was from a political party.
He said, in reality, there were also ministers who had no links with any political party but were later convicted in court for corruption.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
