The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has reported that most of the individuals it arrested in 2017 were high echelon state officials, who are regarded to be prone to corrupt practices.
A data released by the KPK on Wednesday showed that out of the 42 people arrested by the anti-graft body for alleged corruption and bribery in 2017 were state officials.
The commission also revealed that businesspeople and lawmakers and regional councillors were the other groups that dominated the list of KPK arrests, with 27 and 20 people arrested, respectively.
The number of state officials arrested this year is a sharp increase from last year when only 10 officials were caught by the KPK from a total of 99 individuals arrested for corruption.
Last year, state officials stood in fourth place, with 10 individuals arrested by KPK investigators. In total, the KPK arrested 99 individuals arrested 99 individuals in 2016.
While the increase in the arrest of state officials on corruption charges could indicate their susceptibility to corruption, KPK deputy chairman Laode Muhammad Syarif said it could also be seen as a reflection of the public’s awareness of and courage to report against the corrupt practice.
“This [number] could also show that the public has better awareness and are filing reports more against corrupt officials in a number of regions,” Laode said, as quoted by The Jakarta Post.