Lubuk kecil buaya banyak", literally translated as "Small deep pool in a stream has many carnivorous crocodiles", is often cited in Bengkulu to describe a small place infested by criminals, thieves and corrupt people.

"Lubuk kecil buaya banyak" has been widely cited in social media to describe the arrest of Bengkulu Governor Ridwan Mukti and his wife Lily Martiani Maddari by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Tuesday (June 20, 2017).

The description is a reflection of disappointment with the government who talked big about a war against corruption in the early days he took the governorship.

The people of the relatively small province of Bengkulu with a population of around two million, were shocked by the news that their governor and his wife have been caught red handed by KPK on graft charge.

Only a few days or less than two weeks earlier KPK arrested three people in the beach resort of Pantai Panjang, in the city of Bengkulu. The three included prosecutor Parlin Purba, an intelligence officer of the Bengkulu high Prosecution Office, an official of the public works and housing office, and a businessman.

On Tuesday, June 20, Lily Martiani Maddari was arrested by KPK on graft charge. She was caught red handed receiving bribe money from two businessman in the governors private house at Jalan Hibrida in the provincial city.

Lily and her adjutant JW and the two businessmen were driven to the Bengkulu police office. Not long later the governor joined the four at the police office.

The five were held in detention before being flown to Jakarta that afternoon. KPK has not given official information about the arrest of the five people.

However, Director of Criminal Detective Sr. Comr Herman said the arrest of the governor, his wife and the other three on charge of involvement in bribery related to road construction projects in the province.

Herman said KPK confiscated around Rp1 billion from Lily as an evidence in the graft charge , but KPK has yet to announce the real amount.

He refused to give more details including about the road project.

Poorest region

Late last month, precisely on May 30 Governor Ridwan Mukti was present at a meeting headed by President Joko Widodo, discussing acceleration of economic development and way to cope with poverty in one of the countrys poorest provinces.

Based on official data around 17 percent of Bengkulus population of less than 2.1 million live below the poverty line. More than 600 of 1,431 villages in 10 regencies/cities in the province are categorized as backward.

The regional budget is only Rp2.3 trillion , therefore, the province would need greater support from the Central Government.

At the meeting with the President, Ridwan gave details of the condition in Bengkulu stressing on isolation of the province with problem in connectivity with neighboring provinces.

In front of the President and Vice President, Ridwan Mukti stressed the need for at least five access roads to and from West Sumatra in the north, Jambi and South Sumatra in the west, and Lampung in the south. The new roads are needed to open the isolation of the province. The governors proposition was very reasonable.

As a follow-up of the meeting, the governor moved fast and held a meeting with 28 engineers to discuss development of 28 national strategic projects in the province.

In a bid to accelerate development, in the last several days the former regent of Musi Rawas of South Sumatra had an office room for himself at the Bengkulu Public Works and Housing Service.

However, in 2016, the Supreme Audit Board (BPK) gave a qualified opinion on financial report of the Bengkulu regional administration.

BPK had a number of findings that needed correction such as shortfall in volume of work and excess in payment for road projects such as on the island of Enggano.

To show his strong commitment to war against corruption, Ridwan Mukti dismissed and replaced head of the regional public works and housing office Kuntadi who was blamed for the qualified opinion on the financial report of the provincial administration.

The governor also blacklisted a number of contractors that would not be allowed to take part in the development of government projects.

In the first year of his governorship in 2016, Ridwan Mukti announced "war against corruption and drugs" by signing a Pact of Integrity with more than 1,000 regional officials.

The Pact of Integrity was a commitment to saying no to corruption and drugs and a pledge not to abuse power.

KPK chairman Agus Raharjo, Ombudsman chairman Amzulian Rifai, head of the National Anti Narcotics Agency (BNN) Com. Gen. Budi Waseso former chief justice Mahfud MD were present at the ceremony as if to give greater substance and spirit to the Pact of Integrity to stamp out corruption and drugs from the province.

"The Pact of Integrity is a milestone of the start of our long way to be together in our commitment in carrying out our duties with transparency morally accountable," the governor said at that time.

He said the Pact of Integrity is to create a clean government administration free from corruption, collusion, nepotism, drugs and illegal business.

Nearly a year later, the KPKs Coordination of Supervision and Prevention even assisted the provincial administration of Bengkulu in its program to prevent corruption.

Unfortunately, the Pact of Integrity signed in front of KPK a year ago ended up merely as an image projection.

"Ironical, saddening and disappointing," says chairman of Bengkulu Anti Corruption Study Center (Puskaki) Melyansori

Source: ANTARA