T

he government opened registration for citizens aspiring to lead the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Monday, a vital post in a country riddled with corruption.

However, no one registered on Monday, according to an official at the Law and Human Rights Ministry, which conducts the selection, but some people have expressed intentions of running for the post.

Indonesian Procurement Watch (IPW) investigation director Hayie Muhammad told The Jakarta Post about his interest in joining the chairmanship race.

“Seventy percent of the corruption cases in this country involve procurement, which I really understand: how it works, what the modus operandi is. I have at least 12 years of experience in anticorruption activism, so I am pretty sure about this. Within 10 days I’ll submit my application,” Hayie said.

The other hopeful who expressed interest in leading the KPK was attorney Farhat Abbas. The son of former Supreme Court justice Abbas Saad, Farhat was eliminated from the KPK chair selection last year because he failed to meet the minimum age requirement.

Another of last year’s hopefuls, Jimly Asshiddiqie, said he would not pursue the KPK chairmanship this year, saying he supported current KPK chairman Busyro Muqqodas’ continued leadership. “There is no problem [with Busyro]. Why not propose him to the House of Representatives along with other candidates to replace KPK leaders who cannot be selected again this year?” the former Constitutional Court chief said, adding that choosing a KPK leader to lead for only a year was a “waste of money”.

Prominent lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis mentioned several prospective KPK leaders, such as Busyro, anticorruption activist Teten Masduki, Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre chairman Yunus Husein and lawyer-activist Bambang Widjojanto. Teten, however, said he didn’t intend to lead the commission, saying he was not the type of man favored by political parties.

“The KPK hopefuls have to have high credibility and electability. In the midst of rampant counterattacks from political parties, KPK hopefuls have to be competent but not frightening,” Teten said.

Since its establishment in 2002, the KPK has played an important role in combating corruption in Indonesia, which was rated the most corrupt country among 16 major Asia-Pacific investment destinations last year by the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy.

In its search for five new KPK leaders, the government formed a selection team consisting of, among others, Law and Human Rights Minister Patrialis Akbar, former KPK leader Erry Riyana, management guru Rhenald Kasali and sociologist Imam Prasodjo.

Ahmad Ubbe, a member of the committee, said the administrative registration would take place within 14 working days. After completing the administrative registration, an applicant would undergo a paper selection and profile assessment.

Ahmad said the selection team would narrow the pool of candidates to 10 hopefuls before handing the list to the President who would then propose them to the House of Representatives.

“Hopefully as of Dec. 17, the KPK will have new leaders because the current KPK leadership will end on Dec. 18,” he said. (swd)