The Indonesian Corruption Perception Index released by Transparency International Indonesia (TII) shows a decline in 2023, from 38 percent to 4 percent.

Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo held a meeting with a number of ministers to discuss the drastic drop of the Indonesian Corruption Perception Index (CPI) released by Transparency International Indonesia (TII), at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, Monday.

Indonesia's CPI in 2023 was recorded to have fallen from 38 percent to four percent, the Indonesian Cabinet Secretariat reported in its website as quoted by Indonesia Window here on Tuesday.

"We discussed with respect and appreciation, and appreciate what TII (Transparency International Indonesia) is doing. We said, of course we will make improvements. In the near future, there will be specific directives as a state policy from the president," Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD said in a press statement, at the Presidential Palace here on Monday.

Mahfud explained, there are eight institutions used by TII to measure the Indonesian Corruption Perception Index (CPI) in the country, the results of which are perceptions.

He further explained that in certain areas, such as democratization, law enforcement and justice, the index numbers showed an increase.

However, the index number fell slightly in other sectors, including licensing, ease of investment and legal certainty, which still worried investors, Mahfud, adding, "but in terms of law enforcement, eradicating corruption, and democracy, they will go up even if they are small".

According to Mahfud, almost all countries experienced declines in the corruption perception index, including Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam.

"For each country, we do not know the size used. For example, Timor Leste is taller than us now. Because of what? Timor Leste is only measured from four survey institutions, while we have eight," he said, explaining that it was TII's authority in making aggregations.

"We appreciate TII's efforts as a perception. That perception is not a fact, so we also fix it from a perception point of view," the senior minister said.

He pointed out that the Indonesian government is currently preparing steps to build an Electronic-Based Government System (SPBE) as an effort to monitor and prevent criminal acts of corruption, especially in preparing the state budget.

"With the Electronic-Based Government System, everything will be controlled every day by the central government, including what happens in the regions as well as in each ministry and institution," he noted.

Reporting by Indonesia Window