Beware of Gratification During Eid

On March 14, 2025, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) officially urged all State Civil Apparatus (ASN) and state officials through its website to firmly reject and report any form of gratuity acceptance.

The appeal is outlined in Circular Letter Number 7 of 2025 issued by the Chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission regarding the Prevention and Control of Gratification Related to Religious Holidays.

Through this letter, the KPK reminds state civil servants and state officials to reject gratuities related to their positions and contrary to their obligations or duties, especially in the context of the celebration of Eid al-Fitr 1446 H.

According to the KPK, requesting funds and/or gifts as holiday allowances (THR) or under other names, whether individually or on behalf of an institution, from the public, companies, or fellow civil servants or state officials is prohibited as it may lead to conflicts of interest, contradict regulations and ethical codes, and pose a risk of corruption.

In addition to gratuities, the KPK also urged the leaders of ministries/agencies/regional governments and state-owned enterprises/regional-owned enterprises to prohibit the use of official facilities for personal purposes.

On the other hand, the KPK also urged leaders of associations, companies, and communities to take preventive measures by advising their members not to give and/or accept gratuities that could be considered bribes, facilitation payments, or other forms of bribery.

The meaning of gratification itself can refer to the explanation of the KPK law before it was revised, namely in Law No. 20 of 2001.

Explanation regarding Article 12b, where gratification is interpreted broadly, encompassing the provision of money, goods, discounts, commissions, interest-free loans, travel tickets, accommodation facilities, vacation trips, free medical treatment, and other facilities.

The gratification can be received domestically or abroad and can be done using electronic means or without electronic means.

From the meaning above, it can be concluded that gratification can include many things that have economic value for the recipient. Well, in the era approaching Eid, such as this year's Eid, things that fall into the above category are prone to occur.

The gratification report data collected by the KPK shows an increasing trend in reports from state administrators regarding this gratification practice. Data over the past ten years (2015-2025) shows an increasing trend.

If averaged over the last ten years, there has been a 15.7 percent increase in reports of gratification carried out by state administrators.

Although it had decreased in 2020 or after the revision of the KPK Law in 2019, the number of gratification reports increased again in 2021 by 20.6 percent.

Meanwhile, data from 2024 was recorded as the highest, containing 4,220 reports of gratification.

Data from 2024 shows that most of these gratification reports came from state administrators from ministerial/institutional agencies at 70.1 percent, followed by BUMN/BUMD or their subsidiaries at 16.3 percent, and the rest came from local governments at 13.5 percent.

When viewed from the type of gratification, 2024 data shows that gratification in the form of giving money/vouchers/precious metals or other exchange tools was recorded as the most, namely 32.3 percent.

This number is overshadowed by the type of gratification in the form of flower arrangements/generally valid dishes or packaged food/drinks with a validity period such as only Eid parcels, the figure reaches 32 percent.

Then, other gratifications in goods, which are not included in the two gifts above, reached 27 percent, followed by souvenirs/plaques/goods with the logo of the giving agency which reached 7.2 percent.

Lastly, the smallest amount is related to the provision of travel tickets or meals, including accommodation facilities, which were recorded at 1.6 percent.

Even though it is minimal, the practice of ticket gratification, for example, has actually ensnared the KPK commissioner himself.

This case befell KPK commissioner Lili Pintauli Siregar in June 2022 who was proven to have received gratification in the form of accommodation and tickets to watch MotoGP in Mandalika, West Nusa Tenggara. Lili then chose to resign from the KPK.

President Jokowi issued Presidential Decree Number 71/P/2022 which contains the dismissal of Lili as Deputy Chair of the KPK effective July 11, 2022.

If we look at the meaning of gratification, Eid is a momentum that is prone to gratification practices.

The tradition of giving Eid parcels between colleagues, including in the form of joint breaking of the fast facilities, which sometimes becomes something common and normal, cannot escape the "snare" of this gratification.

The form of gratification that must be reported is when the gratification is related to the position and is contrary to the obligations or duties of the state administrator. If in such a condition, the state administrator is obliged to reject and report it.

If due to certain conditions, state administrators cannot refuse gratification, they are required to report it to the Corruption Eradication Committee no later than 30 working days from when the gratification was received.

The KPK regulates the reporting mechanism and form for receiving this gratification which can be accessed via the Online Gratification (GOL) application or the link https://gol.kpk.go.id or email: [email protected].

In the end, it all comes back to the awareness and honesty of state administrators. By looking at the trend of the number of gratification reports that are increasing every year from the data above, it can be a positive signal that the awareness and responsibility of state administrators are also increasing.

On the other hand, increasing literacy regarding gratification among the public, especially to agencies that are in contact with and have a relationship of interest with state administrators, is no less important.

However, gratification arises not only because there is a reciprocal relationship between the two parties, namely state administrators and community groups, but also because of the opportunity.

Well, this Eid momentum is an opportunity that is vulnerable to gratification which must be watched out for (LITBANG KOMPAS)