Accompanied by several ministers, President Joko Widodo addresses the country’s governors, regents and mayors on Tuesday (24/10) at the State Palace. In his speech, the president asked the regional heads not to “play around” with the state’s village funds.
No one knows what was in the mind of the Nganjuk regent of East Java, Taufiqurrahman, when he heard President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo’s message on Tuesday (24/10).
The President addressed the country’s governors, regents, and mayors at the State Palace in Jakarta, asking them not to misuse the Regional Budget (APBD), and that there would be a presidential regulation (Perpres) to prevent corruption. The President also reminded them that many of the 576 regional heads in the country had been caught by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) for corruption.
"I remind you to be careful. Don\'t play games. Particularly with the APBD. I urge you. I cannot say \'no\' to the KPK. I don\'t think I can," said the President (Kompas, 25/10).
By the end of September, the KPK had detained the Kutai Kartanegara regent of East Kalimantan, Rita Widyasari on suspicions of receiving bribes and gratuities related to licensing.
Rita is one of eight regional heads who were named suspects by the KPK this year. Six regional heads had been caught red-handed by the KPK as of September: Bengkulu Governor Ridwan Mukti, East Java’s Pamekasan Regent Achmad Syafii, Central Java’s Tegal Mayor Siti Mashita, North Sumatera’s Batu Bara Regent OK Arya Zulkarnaen, East Java’s Batu Mayor Eddy Rumpoko, and Banten’s Cilegon Mayor Tubagus Iman Ariyadi.
“Ana catur mungkur”. This Javanese proverb describes people who do not listen to others’ advice. President Jokowi had just reminded the regional heads so that none would be caught by the KPK, but the Nganjuk Regent, who was still in Jakarta, was detained by the anticorruption institution. He was caught red-handed on Wednesday (25/10) together with his wife, Ita Triwibawati. It is ironic.
It is not the first time Taufiqurrahman had dealt with the KPK. In 2016, he was named a corruption suspect in connection with five Nganjuk projects implemented in 2009. However, he escaped prosecution after winning a pretrial lawsuit. This time, he cannot evade the law so easily. Besides his arrest, the KPK also has evidence on suspected bribery related to selling and buying positions in the Nganjuk regency administration. The KPK has also investigated 15 other people, including the regency\'s environmental agency head and the principal of SMP Negeri 7 junior high school in Nganjuk.
One of the Jokowi administration’s priority agenda is to establish clean, effective, democratic, and reliable governance. In addition, it is also reforming existing systems and law enforcement so they are free from corruption, dignified and trusted. More than 66 regional heads have been found to be involved in corruption since the KPK was established in 2003.
The Nganjuk Regent, who seems to have ignored the President’s warnings, is a portrait of possibly only a small number of regional heads that feel they are above the law. This is irony.
