JAKARTA ~

A sociologist from the National University (Unas) Nia Elvina said rampant corruption could be a threat to democracy in Indonesia.

The government should be aware of the threat, and that a bold and immediate step is needed against corruption before it is too late, Nia said here on Saturday.

“The deeper we let ourselves sink in the mire of corruption the more difficult for us to wriggle out of it,” she said.

She said according to a report of the Transparency International Indonesia was ranked the 107th in the corruption perception index among 175 countries with Scandinavian countries- Denmark, Norway and Sweden the corruption freest countries.

Indonesia recorded only a score of 34 with 0 indicating highly corrupt and 100 free from corruption.

Indonesia, therefore, needs a government with high and strong anti corruption commitment, Nia said.

Among Southeast Asian countries Indonesia is far behind Malaysia, which is ranked the 50th with a score of 52, the Philippines n and Sri Lanka ranked in the 82 with a score of 38 Singapore, among the corruption freest countries in the world is ranked the 7th with a score of 84.

Transparency International chairman Jos Ugaz said earlier corruption had crippled economic growth in 2014.

The spirit of fighting corruption was dampened when government authorities had abused their power for personal interest, Jose said.

Nia Elvina said sociologists are of the opinion that based on data shown by the Transparency International countries adopting the socialist economic policy are less beset by corruption than those adopting the policy of liberal or market economy.

“As for our nation, actually our founding fathers already left a message for the following generations to adopt a socialist system of economy known as Indonesia style of socialism as outlined in chapter 33 and 234 of the Constitution,” she said.

The nation’s founding fathers proved right in their message and the government should be aware of it, she said.

“This is a fundamental matter that has to be implemented by the present government and generation,” she said.

She pointed to the Scandinavian countries and New Zealand which have very narrow economic gap and social imbalance.

“Unless we want to see the system of democracy suffering a disastrous setback, we must maintain a strong anti corruption commitment,” she repeated.