DJ Indonesia Govt More Efficient, Less Corrupt - World Bank JAKARTA (AFP)--A reform push by leaders in Indonesia has substantially improved the performance of government and has reduced graft in Southeast Asia's largest economy, the World Bank said Wednesday.
The bank's Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI) report found governance had improved significantly in Indonesia in the 10 years of "reformasi" since the 1998 ouster of dictator Suharto, a statement said. "The progress is a reflection of a country whose political leaders, policymakers, civil society and private sector view good governance and corruption control as crucial for sustained and shared growth," co-author Daniel Kaufmann said in the statement. "A decade into the reform era, Indonesia bears all the hallmarks of a thriving democracy - freedom of expression, freedom of association, freedom of the press, and now freedom of public information," he said. The report covered indicators on governance and corruption in 212 countries drawing on data from survey institutes, think-tanks and non-governmental organizations. Indonesia is widely seen as being among the most corrupt countries in the world, ranking 143rd on Transparency International's global corruption perceptions index, alongside Russia, Togo and Gambia.
