The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named four people suspects, namely Wahyu and Agustiani Tio Fridelina as bribe recipients, alongside Harun Masiku and Saeful as bribers.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS – The long-standing credibility of the General Elections Commission (KPU) has been marred by the arrest of KPU commissioner Wahyu Setiawan in relation to the bribery allegation regarding the confirmation of elected lawmakers. The KPU has issued a public apology for the incident, saying it will take the initiative to restore public trust in itself.
On Thursday (9/1/2020), the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named four people suspects, namely Wahyu and Agustiani Tio Fridelina as bribe recipients, alongside Harun Masiku and Saeful as bribers.
Agustiani was an Elections Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) member from 2008 to 2012 and is said to be Wahyu’s confidante. Harun is a former 2019 legislative candidate from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) while Saeful is a staff member of the PDI-P’s secretariat.
“The KPK regrets the acceptance of gifts or promise of gifts by a KPU commissioner related to the recall process. This legal action is taken as part of the effort to save the KPU. This collusion between an election organizer and politicians has been a betrayal of the democratic process that has been built through hardships and at huge cost,” KPK commissioner Lili Pintauli Siregar told a press conference.
Let’s look at this proportionately as we still need to strengthen the KPU.
KPU chair Arief Budiman, who also attended the press conference, said he apologized to all Indonesians for this incident. The KPU would immediately hold a plenary meeting to discuss Wahyu’s status at the KPU after he was named a suspect by the KPK.
“We will take the initiative [regarding Wahyu] as this case may potentially affect public trust on our organizing of the election,” he said.
Former KPU member Hadar Nafis Gumay said Wahyu’s arrest by the KPK was a blow to the KPU. However, he said he hoped the case did not destroy public trust in the KPU. “Let’s look at this proportionately as we still need to strengthen the KPU. The institution has a deeply fundamental and important role,” he said.
Replacement
The case began in the process to name the replacement for PDI-P lawmaker-elect Nazaruddin Kiemas, who died in March 2019. Referring to regulations, his replacement should be the legislative candidate with the most votes after Nazaruddin, which was Riezky Aprilia.
However, in July 2019, a PDI-P official ordered the party’s lawyer to file a judicial review to the Supreme Court on the KPU Regulation on the confirmation of lawmakers-elect. The court partially ruled in favor of the judicial review request and gave political parties the discretion to name the best legislative candidate as replacement.
“This Supreme Court ruling was the basis for the PDI-P to send a letter to the KPU, naming Harun as the replacement,” Lili said.
On 31 August 2019, the KPU held a plenary meeting and named Riezky as the replacement. The PDI-P then issued another court ruling request and sent a legislative candidate confirmation letter. Saeful and Agustiani lobbied for Harun to be named as the replacement. Then, the documents and court ruling obtained by Saeful were given to Wahyu to help Harun’s confirmation process.
According to Lili, Wahyu was said to ask for Rp 900 million (US$65,000) in operational funds to expedite Harun’s confirmation process as replacement. In mid-December 2019, Wahyu was also alleged to have asked for Rp 200 million from Agustiani. In late December 2019, Wahyu was alleged to have received Rp 400 million.
Arief Budiman said the recall process was done in line with regulation, namely that it is on the basis of votes. “We read the court ruling but cannot adhere to it as it is not in line with the Election Law,” Arief said.
PDI-P secretary-general Hasto Kristiyanto was linked to the case as his staff member at the PDI-P, Saeful, was named a suspect. However, Hasto rejected this accusation.
Hasto confirmed that the party wished to replace Riezky with Harun, on the grounds that Harun was known as a clean figure with a good track record. “Our consideration was that the court ruled that the party had the discretion when a [lawmaker-elect] died. Without the ruling, we would not have made this decision [to propose Harun],” Hasto said.
Hasto said that all staff members of the party’s secretariat answered to the secretary-general. “As secretary-general, I am responsible for overseeing all staff members and party members. However, if it is about legal issues, the party is no longer responsible,” he said.