ABSTRACT
The fight against corruption is an imperative of contemporary Indonesian demokrasi and reformasi. “Korupsi, kollusi, dan nepotisme” (corruption, collusion, and nepotism)—or, as it is more commonly known in Indonesia, “KKN”—acted as a rallying cry that helped usher in democratic reform in Indonesia. However, the failure of the state to remedy the conditions of KKN represents the greatest threat to the legitimacy of Indonesia’s newly founded democratic institutions. The discontent of KKN played a significant role in the revolution that swept Suharto from power and in the defeat of the first three presidents who came after him. This imperative to fight against corruption has been driven by both the public resentment over the injustices KKN produces and a fear in Indonesian civil society that KKN is discouraging international investment, thereby prohibiting Indonesia’s economic development.
