Jakarta,
Feb 19 (Antara) - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) plays an
important role in fighting graft in Indonesia, which is ranked 107th on
the list of corrupt countries based on the Transparency International
rating in December 2014.
Since its establishment in 2003, the KPK has been successful in making
changes in the fight against corruption in Indonesia. It has sent
numerous corrupt people, including former minister, governor, regent and
many others, to jails.
It is only reasonable if corrupt people are afraid of the anti-graft
body and try to criminalize it and weaken its function. Many of its
leaders such as Antasari Azhar, Bibit Samad Riyanto, Chandra Martha
Hamzah, and now Abraham Samad and Bambang Widjojanto, have to face
court.
The naming of KPK Chairman Abraham Samad and Deputy Chairman Bambang
Widjojanto as suspects by police led to a conflict between police and
KPK. Samad and Widjojanto were named suspects after KPK named Comm. Gen.
Budi Gunawan in a corruption case. Budi was named not long after
President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) picked him up as the sole candidate for
the National Police chief last month.
President Jokowi then canceled Budi's inauguration although the House
of Representatives (DPR) had approved his nomination.
In order to resolve the stand-off between KPK and Police, President
Jokowi finally stepped in on Wednesday (Feb. 18, 2015) to discharge the
accused KPK leaders and dropped Budi's nomination as the sole police
chief candidate.
It is seen as a neutral step to end the tension between the two law
enforcing institutions. Yet, calls for the stoppage of the alleged
criminalization and weakening of KPK were raised by many quarters of the
society.
Hendardi, the chairman of SETARA Institute, a non-governmental
organization that promotes democracy, said that the President's
'neutral' stand on the alleged criminalization of KPK, which seems to be
aimed at weakening the institution, can obviously invite 'stowaways'
who intended to cripple the anti-graft body.
"President Jokowi should therefore be serious in reinforcing KPK as
two of its chiefs have been named suspects by police," Hendardi pointed
out.
After all, it has been reported that police have also threatened to
charge 21 KPK investigators for allegedly possessing illegal arms.
According to Hendardi, President Joko Widodo's decision to temporarily
discharge KPK's accused leaders and replace Budi Gunawan as the police
chief candidate can only temporarily end the KPK-National Police (Polri)
conflict.
"However, it is a pity that the President did not take steps to prevent
the possibility of more such efforts in the future to criminalize KPK
and its investigators," Hendardi added.
President Jokowi on Wednesday announced the nomination of Comm. Gen.
Badrodin Haiti as the new police chief candidate to replace Comm. Gen.
Budi Gunawan, who was earlier the only candidate for the post.
Budi Gunawan was named suspect by KPK after the President nominated him
for the police chief. However, the South Jakarta District Court
recently ruled that KPK's move was illegitimate.
The President also temporarily discharged KPK Chairman Abraham Samad
and Deputy Chairman Bambang Widjojanto. He will also issue a government
regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) to appoint acting KPK chiefs.
Abraham Samad and Bambang Widjojanto have been charged by police for
falsification of document and falsification of testimony, respectively.
The counter naming of KPK and Polri chiefs has created a standoff
between the two law enforcing institutions since last month.
In the case of KPK leaders and investigators, Hendardi noted, President
Jokowi has taken a safe route by affirming the suspect status of
Abraham Samad and Bambang Widjojanto and replacing them with acting
successors.
He said that President Jokowi should use his position as national
police to ensure that Polri will not take any counterproductive step.
"Continued criminalization will pose a threat to KPK as an institution
and its investigators and employees," he cautioned.
General Chairman of the Golkar Party (Jakarta Congress) Agung Laksono
said President Jokowi has made the best decision regarding the KPK-
Polri conflict.
"I am convinced that the President has thoroughly considered the
political, legal and institutional aspects while making a decision to
cancel the inauguration of Comm. Gen. Budi Gunawan as the National
Police chief," Agung Laksono stated on Wednesday night.
He remarked that with the decision, President Jokowi wanted to end the
tension between KPK and Polri as well as other institutions.
"We should express gratitude for the President's decision. We hope it will serve as the best way out," he added.
Agung, who was the people's welfare minister in Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono's government, pointed out that Jokowi's decision will benefit
the nation as well as state.
Meanwhile,
Firman Noor, political scientist with the Indonesian Institute of
Sciences (LIPI) said President Jokowi's decisions aimed to end the
KPK-Police conflict could be labeled as a compromise measure.
"I had predicted that Joko Widodo will follow the aspirations of the
people who had rejected the inauguration of Budi Gunawan as police chief
as he was named a graft suspect. But, to make a balanced decision,
Jokowi also discharged two KPK leaders," Firman Noor explained.
Indeed, Firman added, President Jokowi should follow the aspirations of
his supporters rather than that of his supporting political party. The
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, which had nominated Jokowi as
the presidential candidate, wants Budi Gunawan to be named police chief.
Moreover, the election of Jokowi as Surakata mayor and later as
president was thanks to the strong support of his volunteers more than
the party that nominated him.
"That
is why, Jokowi listened to the aspirations of his volunteer supporters
who opposed the inauguration of Budi Guanwan. Jokowi has also shown that
he did not want to overlook the possibility of KPK making a mistake and
wants to rectify such a scenario," Firman stated.
Besides,
the President's step to discharge KPK leaders Abraham Samad and Bambang
Widjojanto could also satisfy police.
The President said he
has issued a presidential decision on the temporary discharge of the two
KPK leaders based on the law in force.
Jokowi has justified the presidential decision by citing that the
chiefs had been implicated in legal matters and that there had been
vacancies in KPK leadership.
"It
will be followed with the issuance of a government regulation in lieu
of law (Perppu) for the appointment of acting KPK leaders who will keep
the institution going," the President said.
Three presidential decisions will be issued for the appointment of
acting KPK leaders, namely Taufiequrrachman Ruki, Indriyanto Seno Adji,
and Johan Budi.***2***
(T.A014/INE)
EDITED BY INE
(T.A014/A/BESSR/A/Yosep) 19-02-2015 17:35:5 |
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