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'Clean Golkar' rhetoric and the rise of a KPK critic
The Golkar Party’s pick of Bambang Soesatyo as the new House speaker, a lawmaker well known for his revulsion of the KPK, has raised eyebrows.
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Against corruption: Anticorruption Civil Society Coalition members call for the arrest of former House of Representatives speaker Setya Novanto during a rally in front of the Corruption Eradication Commission headquarters in Jakarta on Sept.14 2017. (Antara/Wahyu Putro A.)
T
he Golkar Party’s pick of Bambang Soesatyo as the new House speaker, a lawmaker well known for his revulsion of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), has raised eyebrows. It came when the new Golkar chairman, Airlangga Hartarto, is struggling to rebrand the oldest party which, like others, is widely perceived as corrupt with many of its politicians embroiled in graft cases. Bambang’s appointment makes Airlangga’s brand new “Clean Golkar” battle cry sound hollow.
It is also breeding skepticism about Golkar’s pledge to lift the House’s reputation, which has hit rock bottom following the arrest of Bambang’s predecessor, Setya Novanto, in connection with the Rp 2.3 trillion e-ID card scandal. Many other lawmakers have been convicted of graft and more are being implicated in graft cases.
Interestingly, Bambang himself is no stranger to the KPK. He has also been implicated in the case, being singled out as one of the lawmakers who allegedly pressured a witness to give false statements to KPK investigators in a cover-up bid.
In recent weeks, the KPK has summoned Bambang for questioning as a witness for a key suspect. He has vehemently denied any involvement in both cases.
In 2013, he was also implicated in a misappropriation of driving simulators that ensnared senior police officers, businessmen and politicians.
Notably, it exposed corruption in the police force that set the stage for confrontation with the KPK, an epic standoff famously known as Cicak lawan Buaya (Gecko vs Crocodile).
The 55-year-old politician, who in 2016 declared to the KPK his wealth was worth Rp 62 billion and is known for his penchant for luxury cars, initiated an inquiry team along with dozens of fellow lawmakers seeking to weaken the KPK they accused of case rigging and inefficiency.
