T

he Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) announced on Thursday that it had selected two new advisory board members.

KPK secretary general Anis Basalamah said that after a recruitment process that spanned months, the KPK chose Mohammad Mu’tashim Billah, a doctoral candidate at the University of Indonesia (UI)’s sociology faculty, and Suwarsono, an academician.

“The new advisors will be inaugurated next Monday,” he told a press conference at the KPK headquarters in Kuningan, South Jakarta.

The two were chosen from a pool of eight finalists, Anis added.

“All eight finalists were interviewed by KPK commissioners,” he said.

The KPK only selected two advisors, instead of the maximum four as the KPK commissioners did not believe the other six candidates were fit to serve as advisors, said Anis.

The KPK also got recommendations from the public, said Anis. The new advisors will replace outgoing KPK advisory board members, Said Zainal Abidin and Abdullah Hehamahua.