Undisturbed by the PTUN's lawsuit, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Council continues its ethical examination of Nurul Ghufron

The Corruption Eradication Council (KPK) Council has scheduled an ethics hearing in the case of alleged ethical violations by KPK Deputy Chairperson Nurul Ghufron on Thursday (2/5/2024).

KOMPAS/HERU SRI KUMORO

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

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Supervisory Board The Corruption Eradication Commission continues to investigate alleged violations of ethics Nurul Ghufron even though the Deputy Chair of KPK filed a lawsuit with the State Administrative Court. Other KPK leaders also invited the KPK Council to examine the ethics case allegedly involving Nurul Ghufron.

KPK Supervisory Board member, Albertina Ho, revealed that the Board has scheduled an ethical hearing for Ghufron's case on Thursday (May 2, 2024). In the hearing, the ethics panel will discuss several matters, including the lawsuit filed by Ghufron to the State Administrative Court.

"We plan to hold a hearing on May 2nd, then we'll see the impact of the administrative court lawsuit from Ghufron. The council will discuss it, not just me alone," said Albertina when met in Jakarta on Tuesday (30/4/2024).

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Albertina revealed that the KPK Council had invited Ghufron and other witnesses, one of whom was the former Secretary General of the Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) Kasdi Subagyono, to attend the ethics hearing. If Ghufron does not appear at the trial, the ethics panel will deliberate.

KOMPAS/TOTOK WIJAYANTO

Member of the KPK Supervisory Board, Albertina Ho

So far, the KPK Supervisory Board has only received one report regarding allegations of ethical violations committed by Ghufron, namely allegedly communicating with officials at the Ministry of Agriculture for the benefit of transferring one of the employees in the ministry.

Albertina doesn't know whether Ghufron benefited from his efforts in assisting the Ministry of Agriculture's employees or whether there is any indication that Ghufron communicated with the concerned parties in the Ministry of Agriculture.

Currently, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is handling a case of alleged corruption involving former Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo, Kasdi Subagyono, and former Director of Agricultural Machinery at the Ministry of Agriculture, Muhammad Hatta.

The board has scheduled an ethics hearing regarding Ghufron's case on Thursday (2/5/2024). In the hearing, the ethics committee will discuss several matters, including the lawsuit filed by Ghufron to the administrative court.

Previously, Ghufron stated that he had filed a lawsuit with the State Administrative Court (PTUN) regarding this matter. Ghufron admitted that he was reported to the KPK Supervisory Board on December 8, 2023 and was only clarified on February 28, 2024. However, the incident occurred on March 15, 2022, meaning that it should have expired on March 16, 2023. As a result, according to Ghufron, the KPK Supervisory Board is no longer authorized to investigate this matter.

He explained that his lawsuit to the Administrative Court (PTUN) is the same process as what the KPK Supervisory Board does in processing the law against him. According to Ghufron, he is fighting according to the legal mechanism. Ethical enforcement should comply with the law.

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.

Albertina has provided clarification and a chronology of the coordination activities carried out with the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK). The Supervisory Board concludes that Albertina did not commit any ethical violations.

KOMPAS/HERU SRI KUMORO

Deputy Chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission Johanis Tanak gave a statement to journalists after his inauguration at the State Palace, Jakarta, Friday (28/10/2022).

Meeting separately, Deputy Chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Johanis Tanak stated that interim Chairman of the KPK Nawawi Pomolango has allowed the KPK Supervisory Board to examine the ethical aspects of Ghufron's case.

Johanis dares not speak about this matter as it has not yet been brought up to the KPK. Johanis was inaugurated as the Deputy Chairman of the KPK on October 28th, 2022, to replace Lili Pintauli Siregar who resigned after being implicated in an alleged violation of the code of ethics case.

He said that the leadership has discussed this issue. Regarding Ghufron's lawsuit, according to Johanis, it is his personal right. The leadership cannot prohibit it.

"Even though we reminded him, if he (Ghufron) doesn't agree, we don't have any coercive measures to make him not do it, right? Later we will be the ones blamed if we say no, right?" said Johanis.

In the meeting, Johanis admitted that the leadership did not suggest anything. This is because the issue is Ghufron's personal matter and not a matter of official duty.

Through a written statement, Indonesian Corruption Watch researcher (ICW), Kurnia Ramadhana, saw that Ghufron's actions in reporting Dewas members to Dewas and suing at the PTUN showed that he was frustrated with the allegations. violation of the code of ethics at Dewas.

"As law enforcement officers, especially a leader of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Ghufron should have the courage to undergo trial and not seek irrelevant faults in others," said Kurnia.

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Therefore, ICW urged the KPK Supervisory Board not to be influenced by any justifying arguments presented by Ghufron and to continue the trial process. If proven, ICW requested that the KPK Supervisory Board impose severe sanctions in the form of resignation from leadership position, as stipulated in Article 10, Paragraph (3), Letter b of the KPK Supervisory Board Regulation No. 3 of 2021.

According to Kurnia, if Ghufron's actions are proven, it cannot be taken lightly. Because, he is alleged to have abused his authority, even traded his influence to help certain parties at the Ministry of Agriculture.

KOMPAS/ZULKARNAINI

Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) researcher, Kurnia Ramadhana

Apart from abusing authority or trading influence, ICW urges Dewas to question indications of communication between Ghufron and the Ministry of Agriculture. The timing of their communication, whether it occurred when the Ministry of Agriculture was being investigated by the KPK in the case involving Syahrul Yasin Limpo, needs to be investigated.

If communication occurs while the Ministry of Agriculture is being investigated by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), then Ghufron is suspected of violating criminal and ethical laws. Within the framework of international law, referring to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, Ghufron's actions of trading influence are classified as a corrupt criminal act.