Wiretap Wisdom

IT would have been much more difficult to uncover the collusion between politicians and officials at Musi Banyuasin, South Sumatra, if the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) did not have the authority to tap telephone calls. This tool is even more necessary at a time when the KPK is weakest.

Thanks to wiretaps, the politicians' moves in that region could be monitored, eventually leading to their arrest for accepting bribes. Evidence was easy to obtain because the transactions were carried out without using middlemen. Member of the Musi Banyuasin Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) Bambang Karyanto accepted a payment at his home on June 19. The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician was accompanied by his colleague, Adam Munandar from the Gerindra Party.