ICW applauds KPK in naming Miranda, expects mastermind in KPK’s next move

The Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) has expressed its appreciation to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) after the latter named Miranda Swaray Goeltom a suspect in the high-profile Bank Indonesia bribery case.

However, the ICW says the KPK should investigate the case further to snare the mastermind.

“We are expressing our appreciation to the KPK for its advanced move and important development in this bribery case by naming Miranda a suspect,” ICW legal researcher Donal Fariz told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

“But it will lose its momentum in naming Miranda a suspect if it fails to bring the mastermind [to court],” he said.

The KPK announced on Thursday that it had named Miranda a suspect in the vote-buying case, in which Miranda allegedly bribed 33 former and current House of Representatives members overseeing finance in favor of her 2004 election as a Bank Indonesia senior deputy governor.

Donal argued that it was impossible for Miranda to take Rp 24 billion from her own pocket to secure the post in her own interest.

“There must have been a tycoon who financed her in her election as the [BI] senior deputy governor,” he said.

“If the KPK do not uncover this mastermind, the same crime will happen all over again. We will see ‘new Mirandas’.”

The case has implicated tycoon and Bank Artha Graha owner, Tomy Winata, among others, but Miranda has kept silent on her connections with him.