Preserving the Dignity of Regional Heads

ANTARA FOTO/Reno Esnir

KPK spokesperson Febri Diansyah (right) with Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) researcher Almas Sjafrina (second right), Charta Politika researcher Yunarto Wijaya (second left) and ICW researcher Donal Fariz (left) participate in the discussion “2018 Corruption Outlook: The Threat of Corruption Behind the Simultaneous Election”, held on Thursday (11/1) at the ICW office in Jakarta.

Research from Indonesia Corruption Watch showed that 215 regional heads were named suspects in corruption cases between 2010 and 2017. Some of them were sent to jail.

Home Ministry data shows that the country has 34 governors, 93 mayors, 416 regents and six administrative region heads. This shows that, in the big picture, the number of regional heads involved in corruption cases is not significant. Furthermore, the cases occurred at different times. Nevertheless, every time a regional head is ensnared in a corruption case or is arrested in a Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) operation, it always attracts widespread public attention.

High campaign costs seem to be cited often as “justification” for regional heads’ corruption. Apart from securing a “blessing” from political parties, regional head candidates disburse large sums of money to promote themselves and to secure votes, including in paying for witnesses at polling stations (TPS). Therefore, it is often said that only those with plenty of money or good connections with sources of funds can contest regional elections. Of course, there are exceptions. When political parties see a candidate with a high potential of winning an election, they will cover all costs.

Regional heads ensnared in corruption cases lead to public complications, including in other regions and within the central government. The people suffer and government administration is disrupted. Therefore, ahead of the simultaneous elections in 171 regions this year, the election organizer has reminded election candidates and voters alike not to let regional heads become involved with corruption cases. The public is urged to monitor regional head candidates starting from the registration period, including in their report of personal wealth to the KPK.

Article 13 of Law No. 30/2002 on the KPK stipulates that the antigraft organization, in its duty to prevent corruption, has the authority to be involved in election candidates’ registration and to check on official wealth reports (LHKPN). However, the KPK has no authority to put sanctions on officials who either refuse to file wealth reports or are dishonest in the reports.

The public is urged to be more active in reporting regional head candidates believed to have filed their wealth reports dishonestly. KPK data shows that, of the 1,158 regional head candidates in this year’s elections, 18 still need to amend their reports and seven are still being verified. Law No. 1/2015 on regional elections allows the General Elections Commission (KPU) to disqualify election candidates for not filing wealth reports.

More importantly, the election organizer must facilitate the public in accessing regional head candidates’ wealth reports in order to help them monitor the reports. Before the KPK was established, the State Officials’ Wealth Audit Commission (KPKPN) was created in 2000 in line with Law No. 28/1999. The commission routinely checked and announced officials’ wealth reports to the public.

It is only with such transparency that the public can be actively involved in preserving the dignity of regional heads, including in not voting for candidates who are dishonest about their wealth.