Guarding Indonesia at the World Anti Corruption Session

GUARDING INDONESIA AT THE WORLD ANTI-CORRUPTION SESSION

That morning, the skies over Vienna were remarkably clear. The cold air pierced gently—so different from the warmth of Jakarta, the city I usually call home. Step by step, I entered the Vienna International Centre, the headquarters of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

 The session that day—like the sessions before it—was far more than an ordinary diplomatic forum. In that room, the world observed how far participating countries had fulfilled their commitments to combating corruption as collectively agreed upon. In the end, the implementation of a convention is not merely about administration or formal reports. Gradually, it shapes how the world perceives the credibility of a nation.

One of the resolutions discussed this time highlighted the obligation of every country to establish a corruption prevention system as mandated under Chapter II, Article 5 of the UNCAC. Indonesia began intensifying its anti-corruption prevention efforts following the establishment of the Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi (Corruption Eradication Commission/KPK) in 2002, and further strengthened them through the creation of the Prevention Directorate of the National Police’s Anti-Corruption Corps (Kortas Tipidkor Polri) in 2024. To this day, Indonesia continues striving to build stronger foundations for corruption prevention.

As the discussion unfolded, the room came alive with questions. The chairperson of the session sought to understand how Indonesia builds coordination among anti-corruption institutions, how preventive measures are implemented in practice, and to what extent their effectiveness can be felt.

We explained that Indonesia possesses a strong political will in its anti-corruption prevention efforts. That this struggle does not stop at slogans or rhetoric. Indonesia continues to improve its systems—from anti-corruption education at an early age, strengthening transparency in public governance, to preventing corruption in the world of sports.

Within the National Police’s Anti-Corruption Corps itself, the Prevention Directorate continues to work tirelessly to safeguard stronger governance and various national priority programs, while also instilling integrity in every aspect of life. So that every policy taken remains grounded in high accountability and solely directed toward the interests of the people.

Yet the fight against corruption has never been a journey along a fully illuminated path. Behind every preventive effort, there are always challenges: skepticism regarding the effectiveness of prevention, institutional ego among agencies, issues of trust, and resistance toward evaluation and assistance.

But that is precisely where the meaning of the struggle lies. Building an anti-corruption culture is not the work of a day or a night. It is a long process of transforming the way people think, the way institutions work, and even the way a nation views integrity itself.

And in that room, beneath the Red and White flag flying among the flags of the nations of the world, I realized one thing: Indonesia may not yet be perfect, but Indonesia never stops striving.

Because for Indonesia, combating corruption is not merely about prosecuting offenders. It is about safeguarding the future. About ensuring that public trust remains alive. And about proving to the world that Indonesia will continue to stand firmly in its commitment to fighting corruption—through enforcement, prevention, and the recovery of state losses—in a comprehensive and sustainable manner.

Afandi Eka Putra

Vienna, Austria

22 May 2026