Politics · Indonesia · 14 hrs ago
Indonesia must address foreign bribery rules in OECD membership process
Indonesia needs to address bribery of foreign officials as it seeks to join the OECD, said Coordinating Economic Affairs Minister Airlangga Hartarto.
The rules cover bribes involving public officials in other countries, not only corruption within Indonesia.
Airlangga said Indonesia had ratified a United Nations anti-corruption convention about 20 years ago, but another international instrument on foreign bribery remains to be addressed.
He said cross-border business makes it important to ensure that companies do not use corrupt practices abroad.
The foreign bribery rules are one part of Indonesia’s OECD accession process, alongside work to improve governance across sectors.
Indonesia has answered assessments in most sectors, and the government says progress is about 80%; the account gives different totals for the sectors and assessment sections covered.
The government aims for full OECD membership by 2028, while some areas, including health care, still need improvement.
Airlangga did not explain how the foreign bribery requirement relates to debate over financial losses in a proposed revision of Indonesia’s anti-corruption law.
Indonesia needs to ratify rules against bribing foreign public officials as part of its process to join the OECD, Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto said.
Airlangga said the rules would help ensure business practices involving foreign parties meet anti-corruption standards.
Indonesia has responded to assessments in 20 of 24 sectors, which Airlangga said represented about 80% progress.
The article also says Indonesia has completed about 80% of its Initial Memorandum, described as 20 of 25 sections.
The government aims to complete the accession process and become a full OECD member by 2028.
- Who
- Indonesia, with Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto describing the requirement.
- What
- Indonesia needs to ratify rules against bribery of foreign public officials as part of its OECD membership process.
- When
- Airlangga spoke on October 23, 2026.
- Where
- At the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs office in Jakarta.
- Why
- The rules are part of the OECD accession process and are intended to address corruption in cross-border business.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Indonesia ratified a United Nations convention related to combating corruption.
Airlangga said ratifying foreign bribery rules remained an agenda in Indonesia’s OECD accession process.
The government aims to complete the accession process and achieve full OECD membership.
- Foreign bribery rules
- Ratification needed as part of the OECD accession process
- Assessment sectors
- Responses given for 20 of 24 sectors; Airlangga put progress at about 80%
- Initial Memorandum
- About 80% completed, stated as 20 of 25 sections
- Full membership target
- 2028
What people are saying
This is one of the things we need to ratify because it is part of the initial stage of the OECD membership process.
Business practices should also not engage in foreign corruption practices.
So we do not only regulate corruption or bribery domestically, but also when it involves parties from abroad.