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Complaints on Facebook and Twitter over Gayus Tambunan' Sentence

JAKARTA LIFE'S STYLE

An Indonesian taxman caught bribing his way out of prison and watching a tennis tournament while wearing a wig was sentenced to seven years behind bars for corruption Wednesday, angering many in a nation fed up with graft. Prosecutors, who had demanded a prison sentence several times that, said they would appeal.

Gayus Tambunan, a low-ranking taxman who paid off officials and helped falsify documents, admitted during his five-month trial to pocketing at least $2.7 million from dozens of big companies so they wouldn’t have to pay the state. According to one estimate, he cost the government more than $700 million in lost revenues.

But it was the alleged involvement of everyone from senior police and immigration officials to prosecutors and judges that captured attention in the nation of 237 million. His sheer audacity made him a favorite topic on social networking sites: Authorities confirmed Tambunan had bribed his way out of prison at least 68 times since his arrest almost one year ago.

That revelation was made after he was photographed watching a tennis match on the resort island of Bali, clumsily disguised in a black wig and sunglasses. Tambunan, 31, has since been accused of paying $100,000 for false passports to go to Macau and Singapore so he could gamble and shop. The verdict by Albertine Ho, presiding judge of the South Jakarta District Court, was read live on all major television and radio stations.

“The defendant has been found guilty of corruption ... and of giving false information about the amount of money he amassed,” Ho said, giving him seven years behind bars and a fine of $30,000.

She said the 20 years demanded by prosecutors was too high because he had not been acting alone. Indonesia has only recently emerged from the 32-year dictatorship of Gen. Suharto, whose family was accused of graft to the tune of $600 million.

Though President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who became the first directly elected leader in 2004, has made a priority of fighting the country’s reputation as one of the world’s most graft-ridden, many complain that high-ranking officials have been largely left alone. At the same time, the body set to investigate wrongdoing has been plagued by scandals — some allegedly fabricated by tainted police, businessmen and politicians to undermine its credibility.

Most people believe Gayus is a scapegoat. Nevertheless, they were furious he got off so lightly. “This is total madness,” said Bambang Siswoutomo, a resident of the capital, Jakarta, who like others is tired of corruption that permeates all levels of society.

Almost everyone, from customs officials at the port to those who hand out driver licenses, expects a few extra dollars to do their job. “He’s the most famous corrupt official in our country!” Siswoutomo added.

“If he gets off this lightly, what kind of message does it send to others?” Fed up, thousands flooded social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter with complaints, some saying he deserved death.

Tambunan, who earned just $1,300 a month as a public official, has admitted to helping more than a dozen big companies dodge hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes. He did not elaborate on the amount, but a local magazine quoting a police anti-corruption investigator who spoke on condition of anonymity, put the number at more than $700 million.

On Monday, Yudhoyono ordered a full investigation into the case, including more than 140 companies Tambunan mentioned as having been helped by himself or other tax officials to falsify documents. He ordered stern action against all officials found involved in the cases.

Tambunan, who has repeatedly said he was just a “little fish” in the corruption racket, was happy with Wednesday’s ruling. “I express my high appreciation to the panel of judges,” he said, somber-faced but clearly pleased, as he was mobbed by nearly 100 reporters and photographers.

At a previous trial in March, Tambunan was acquitted of embezzling the same $2.7 million. But former police investigator Gen. Susno Duadji, himself now in jail, said Tambunan bribed him and his officers — as well as judges, lawyers and prosecutors — to present a weaker case to the court.

Soon after, Tambunan fled to Singapore, but he returned almost immediately to face more serious charges of money laundering and corruption. Tambunan will face another trial on charges of making fake passports and bribing people to leave prison. Indonesia is listed by the international watchdog Transparency International as one of the world’s most corrupt countries.
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