Internal Corruption Eradication Committee Problems Again, Nurul Ghufron Communicates with Ministry of Agriculture

Nurul Ghufron will have an ethics trial on May 2 2024. The Corruption Eradication Committee (KPK) has obtained evidence to try Ghufron's case.

KOMPAS/HERU SRI KUMORO

Deputy Chair of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Nurul Ghufron during a press conference at the KPK Building, Jakarta, Thursday (22/4/2021).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The internal Corruption Eradication Commission is having problems again, and polemics have even occurred. After his employees were involved in a case of alleged extortion of KPK detainees, this time the Deputy Chairman of the Corruption Eradication Committee Nurul Ghufron had to face Supervisory Board KPK. The reason is, Ghufron communicated with officials from the Ministry of Agriculture to move one of his employees at the head office to Malang, East Java.

Member of the KPK Council, Albertina Ho, said that Ghufron would be tried etic on Thursday (2/5/2024). Albertina explained that Dewas had received sufficient evidence regarding this case to proceed to trial. Ghufron is suspected of communicating with officials at the Ministry of Agriculture.

"We have clarified around 10 people. From our internal team, from the Ministry of Agriculture, and from external parties," said Albertina in Jakarta, Friday (26/4/2024). Former Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo is one of the people who has been clarified by the KPK Supervisory Board.

Dewas just checked Ghufron

Contacted separately, member of the KPK Supervisory Board, Syamsuddin Haris, stated that the agenda for the May 2nd hearing is to examine witnesses. Ghufron will be examined after the first hearing.

Also read: Dismissal of 66 KPK Employees Must Be Followed by Criminal Process

Previously, Ghufron stated that there was someone who had requested a transfer for two years, but it was not granted. The person wanted to follow their spouse. Ghufron conveyed the person's wish to officials at the Ministry of Agriculture. According to Ghufron, in accordance with the provisions, the person has the right to request a transfer to follow their spouse.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

Former Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo was escorted by officials after an exposure to detention at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Building in Jakarta, related to alleged corruption cases at the Ministry of Agriculture, on Friday night (October 13, 2023).

Ghufron admitted that he was just providing assistance and there was no entrustment. "That happened in March 2022. Legally, the expiration date is one year. So, if it's March 2022, it should be expired in March 2023. So, the name should already be expired, this case doesn't work. "Well, that's what I then (sued) at the PTUN (State Administrative Court)," he said.

He explained that his lawsuit to the State Administrative Court (PTUN) is a similar process to what the KPK Supervisory Board did in prosecuting him. According to Ghufron, he is fighting in accordance with legal mechanisms. He emphasized that the enforcement of ethics should also comply with the law.

Ghufron explained that he was only reported to the KPK Supervisory Board on December 8, 2023 and was only clarified on February 28, 2024. However, the incident had occurred on March 15, 2022, meaning that it should have expired by March 16, 2023. Consequently, according to Ghufron, the KPK Supervisory Board is no longer authorized to investigate the case.

This issue has a long tail. Instead, Ghufron reported Albertina to the KPK Supervisory Board for alleged abuse of authority. He questioned the members of the KPK Supervisory Board who requested the results of financial transaction analysis of KPK employees.

Regarding Ghufron's report against Albertina, Syamsuddin explained that KPK's Supervisory Board has already examined Albertina. Albertina has provided an explanation and chronology of the coordination activities conducted with the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK).

KOMPAS/TOTOK WIJAYANTO

Member of the KPK Supervisory Board, Albertina Ho

"Dewas concludes that there was no ethical violation committed by Mrs. AH (Albertina) because the coordination with PPATK to obtain the results of financial transaction analysis was carried out in the course of duty. There is an official assignment letter from Dewas for the coordination activities carried out by Mrs. AH," said Syamsuddin.

He explained that the KPK Supervisory Board (Dewas KPK) has repeatedly coordinated with the Financial Transactions Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), including when uncovering cases involving former KPK Chairman Firli Bahuri and illegal collection by KPK employees in KPK's detention center.

Personal capacity

Head of the KPK News Section, Ali Fikri, stated that Ghufron's report against Albertina to the KPK Supervisory Board was in his personal capacity. "We also confirmed to the leaders that it was not a collective decision of the institution's leadership. So, it is not a decision of the institution," said Ali.

As a member of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Ali stated that when Ghufron considers an ethical violation, it is mandatory to report it to the KPK Supervisory Board. Ali hopes that the public will respect the entire process as a dynamic within the internal KPK.

He believes that the KPK Supervisory Board will follow up on this issue in a professional manner. The KPK Supervisory Board is authorized to process reports of complaints, both from the public and internally within the KPK.

KOMPAS/PRAYOGI DWI SULISTYO

Head of the KPK News Section, Ali Fikri

Ali confirms that all activities at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) are still ongoing despite this dynamic situation. Because the KPK is a system that continues to run.

Complained to the KPK Council

Ghufron's report against Albertina to the KPK Supervisory Board has finally been reported by former KPK employees who are part of the Indonesia Memanggil 57+ Institute to the KPK Supervisory Board. The Chairman of the Indonesia Memanggil 57+ Institute, Mochamad Praswad Nugraha, explained that Ghufron is suspected of violating the code of ethics for his report against Albertina without any basis.

She explained that Albertina coordinated with the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) to confirm allegations of extortion against a witness carried out by a KPK prosecutor with initials TI amounting to Rp 3 billion. The decision was made collegially by the KPK Supervisory Board.

"Nurul Ghufron's submission of this baseless and fabricated report is an inappropriate action. "Because, as KPK leader, he actually hampered and obstructed the law enforcement process regarding alleged corruption cases," said Praswad.

In addition, the report submitted by Ghufron, according to Praswad, also coincides with his own momentum which will be brought before the KPK Supervisory Board for violating the code of ethics regarding the misuse of his influence as a leader in the Ministry of Agriculture.

KOMPAS/HENDRA A SETYAWAN

Members of the IM57+ Institute reported Deputy Chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Nurul Ghufron to the KPK Supervisory Council (Dewas) at the KPK ACLC Building in Jakarta on Friday (26/4/2024). Ghufron was reported to the KPK Dewas by the IM57+ Institute on suspicion of conflict of interest due to reporting Albertina Ho to the KPK Dewas, which was motivated by personal interests.

In the report submitted, Indonesia summoned 57+ Institutes to request that the Ethics Council declare Ghufron guilty of violating ethics and temporarily suspend him from his position as leader of the KPK during the investigation process. In addition, they ordered Ghufron to resign dishonorably as the leader of the KPK as a heavy sanction.

"Recommend to law enforcement to follow up on potential criminal allegations regarding abuse of authority committed by Nurul Ghufron," said Praswad.

Not only reported to the KPK Supervisory Board, Indonesia Anti-Corruption Society Coordinator Boyamin Saiman also wrote to Ghufron requesting assistance in the transfer of his colleague, a civil servant (PNS) in Papua, to DKI Jakarta to follow her husband.

After delivering the letter to the KPK, Boyamin stated that he no longer had any hope in the current leaders of the KPK. In order to restore this hope, the revision of the KPK Law must be withdrawn and the Asset Seizure Law must be immediately passed.

According to him, with the current Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Law in effect, KPK leaders only serve as coordinators and controllers. As a result, KPK leaders end up dealing with other people's affairs, as done by Ghufron.

Also read: Revision of the Corruption Eradication Committee Law and Disappointment with the Eradication of Corruption

KOMPAS/ZULKARNAINI

Coordinator of the Indonesian Anti-Corruption Society Boyamin Saiman

He emphasizes that the key to eradicating corruption lies in the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). Because the KPK is a special institution for combating corruption, it must improve itself and this depends on the president's policies, including in selecting the next leaders of the KPK for the next period.

According to Boyamin, the task of the current leadership of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is only to maintain the existence of the KPK, especially with the issue of merging with the Ombudsman currently being widely discussed. He hopes that the KPK Supervisory Board (Dewas KPK) will quickly resolve this polemic.