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Busyro frontrunner in KPK commissioner recruitment
Best of luck: A staffer at the Law and Human Rights Ministry received documents from an applicant for the position of commissioner on the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Wednesday
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span class="inline inline-center">Best of luck: A staffer at the Law and Human Rights Ministry received documents from an applicant for the position of commissioner on the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Wednesday. As of Wednesday evening, 104 applicants have submitted the documents required for the selection process. JP/AWO
As the deadline for applications for the role of commissioner in the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) closed on Wednesday, it became apparent the selection committee had failed to net a high-profile figure to replace retiring commissioner Busyro Muqoddas.
Busyro, whose term ends in December, is the most popular figure among 104 candidates who have applied for the position. He is permitted to run for the post again as the KPK Law stipulates that a commissioner can serve for two periods as KPK chairman or deputy chairman.
Busyro's decision to run for another term at the office has received widespread support. 'First, he has great integrity and good morals. He lives modestly and has the capacity and adequate legal knowledge, as well as experience in leading corruption-eradication [efforts],' a Judicial Commission member Taufiqurrahman Sahuri said on Wednesday.
Bambang Soesatyo, a lawmaker from House of Representatives Commission III overseeing legal affairs, said that Busyro's outstanding experience in leading the commission in the last five years was a strong factor in favor of his re-election.
'He has a big chance of winning,' Bambang said on Wednesday.
Busyro worked well with current KPK chairman Abraham Samad, and commissioners Bambang Widjojanto, Adnan Pandu Praja and Zulkarnain in pursuing many high-profile graft cases such as the 2008 Bank Century bailout, which has implicated Vice President Boediono, and the multi-trillion rupiah Hambalang sports complex project in West Java, which led to the imprisonment of former youth and sports minister Andi Mallarangeng, a senior politician from the ruling Democratic Party.
Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) researcher Ade Irawan said on Wednesday that despite Busyro's good chance of winning, the public should closely monitor the selection process later at the House.
'We all know that the House sometimes make attempts to block the KPK's efforts in eradicating the country's rampant corruption. Busyro's decision to run again is good news for the public but I don't know about the House. Let's all watch the selection process to make sure that the House selects the best candidates for the KPK,' Ade said.
Selection committee member Abdullah Hehamahua said the committee would announce the list of candidates who passed the administrative test on Friday. 'The committee will select two names from those who passed the administrative selection to be put before the President and the House. The House will conduct a fit-and-proper test for the two chosen candidates,' Abdullah said on Wednesday.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono caused controversy after establishing a selection committee in early August to seek a replacement for Busyro, despite formal protests from KPK leaders recommending that the government not hold the selection process until 2015, when the tenures of all KPK commissioners expire.
Busyro's decision to run for a second term at the KPK has effectively ended the rift between the government and the KPK.
