Opinion - Why corruption thrives in a religious society


Defendants in the corruption case pertaining to state-owned tin miner PT Timah, Harvey Moeis (centre), Suparta (right) and Reza Andriansyah (left) walk out of the courtroom after a verdict hearing in the Jakarta Corruption Court on Dec 23, 2024. - Photo: Antara

JAKARTA: In a widely shared article titled “Religius tapi Gemar Korupsi, Ada Apa?” (Religious but keen to corrupt), Kompas journalist M. Zaid Wahyudi raised a timely question: Why does corruption remain widespread in a nation so openly religious?

His article highlights a common assumption, that religion guarantees morality, that belief and ritual naturally lead to ethical behaviour.

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