Hopes Pinned on President

KOMPAS/WAWAN H PRABOWO

Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) leadership selection committee chairwoman Yenti Garnasih (center) addresses Sigit Danang Joyo (foreground) on Thursday (29/8/2019) during a public candidate interview and examination at the State Secretariat. Six candidates remained after the final day of interviews on Thursday.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The public is pinning hopes on President Joko Widodo to select the best figures as Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) leadership candidates as he is about to submit 10 names to the House of Representatives. Many say they believe in the President’s strong commitment to eradicating corruption and that he will select worthy candidates for KPK leadership.

The 2019-2023 KPK Leadership Candidate Selection Committee plans to meet with President Jokowi on Monday (2/9/2019). Selection committee member Al Araf said in Jakarta on Sunday that the meeting with the President would take place at 3 p.m.

However, Al Araf continued, the discussions had yet to produce 10 names out of the current pool of 20 candidates. “The discussion will continue on Monday morning,” he said.

On Thursday (29/8), the selection committee had completed the final stage of the selection process, namely a public test and interviews with the 20 KPK leadership candidates. Concerns have arisen that some of the 20 have an unclear corruption eradication vision and mission. Furthermore, several candidates are considered ethically problematic.

For Constitutional Court (MK) chair Mahfud MD noted that the President had the final say in deciding which 10 names would be submitted to the House. The KPK Leadership Candidate Selection Committee reported its work in response to the President’s request for assistance.

“If the President has other sources [of information], he is allowed to take only some names the selection committee has submitted. He can take all 10 names from the list of names suggested by the committee. He can also take no name from the list or ask for new names [to be submitted to him],” Mahfud said.

Article 30 Point 9 of Law No. 30/2002 on the KPK stipulates that the President must submit twice the required number of names to the House within 14 days after receiving the names from the selection committee. Article 30 Point 8 stipulates that the selection committee decides which names are submitted to the President.

“The law stipulates that the President submit [names] to the House. That does not mean that he must submit the names submitted to him by the selection committee. The President is a decision-maker, not merely a transit point,” Mahfud said.

Religious figure Franz Magnis-Suseno said the war against corruption would not be easy, and it would be better not to involve people with poor track records in corruption eradication. Magnis said he believed President Jokowi would stand behind the KPK and corruption eradication efforts.

Haedar Nashir, chairman of the nation’s second-largest Muslim mass organization, Muhammadiyah, said all relevant parties should have the same interests, so that we would have KPK leaders who were clean and of integrity.

Three considerations

Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University professor Azyumardi Azra expressed hope President Jokowi would consider at least three things, namely integrity, knowledge and experience, in deciding on KPK leadership candidates whose names he would submit to the House.

“Currently, it all depends on the President, whether or not he wishes to build a publicly credible KPK. Various studies in Indonesia and abroad show that the head of state has strong influence on corruption eradication,” he said.

In deciding on the 10 names, Parahyangan Catholic University criminal law expert Agustinus Pohan said the President should pay attention to public concerns and the KPK’s internal suggestions. He said efforts to build a credible KPK would strongly impact corruption eradication efforts in Indonesia. (IAN/NIA)