The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has said that it will carry out a thorough examination into evidence of an alleged breach of ethics in relation to KPK chairman Abraham Samad'€™s past vice-presidential ambition, presented by Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician Hasto Kristiyanto on Monday.

KPK spokesman Priharsa Nugraha said an internal KPK committee was currently investigating the allegation along with the evidence from Hasto, who claimed that Abraham had lobbied the party to secure a vice-presidential ticket during the 2014 presidential election.

'€œThe internal committee will study all evidence submitted by Hasto,'€ Priharsa said.

Priharsa further said that he had yet to meet with the internal team to find out what kind of evidence Hasto submitted on Monday.

'€œWe will inform the public about it as soon as possible,'€ he added.

If later the internal committee finds Hasto'€™s allegations to be true, then it will make a recommendation to the KPK'€™s leaders to form an ethics committee to determine whether Abraham had breached the KPK'€™s code of ethics.

Abraham could be dismissed from his post if an ethics committee found that he had abused his power as KPK chairman to lobby the PDI-P to secure a presidential bid.

Priharsa refused to comment on the possibility of establishing an ethics committee for Abraham, saying '€œlet'€™s see how the process will progress.'€

Many doubt that the KPK leaders will form such a committee soon, as the move would be a further major blow to its leadership, which is currently facing total paralysis following its decision to name National Police chief hopeful Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan a bribery suspect.

The current standoff between the police and the KPK has seen KPK commissioner Bambang Widjojanto named a suspect in a perjury case, with the National Police saying that they are also currently collecting evidence to charge other commissioners Zulkarnain and Adnan Pandu as well as Abraham in separate criminal cases with regard to wrongdoings allegedly committed years prior to serving as KPK leaders.

After meeting with the internal KPK committee, Hasto said that he had submitted all necessary evidence to prove his allegations against Abraham, calling on the KPK leaders to form an ethics committee '€œas soon as possible'€.

'€œI have given thorough and complete testimonies to the internal team. I am telling the truth. In addition, I also submitted evidence to support my claims. I also presented witnesses,'€ Hasto said.

'€œFollowing the evidence I submitted, I think there is no more reason for the KPK not to form an ethics committee,'€ he added.

Hasto said that he had submitted photographs of Abraham conducting meetings with PDI-P politicians to discuss his presidential ambitions, adding that he would also soon submit to the KPK additional evidence that he had earlier submitted to the National Police.

Following Hasto'€™s revelation, an NGO called KPK Watch reported Abraham to the National Police over Hasto'€™s claim that he had helped PDI-P politician Emir Moeis, who was implicated in a graft case in connection with a geothermal power development project in Lampung in 2004, to get a lenient sentence in a bribery case last year.

Hasto said that the KPK chairman told him that his help on Emir'€™s lenient sentence was a '€œdown payment'€ for the vice-presidential post and, should the party choose him as its vice-presidential candidate to run with President Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo, he would help all PDI-P politicians being investigated by the KPK to get the same leniency.

The National Police recently said that they were also investigating allegations that Abraham had violated the Criminal Law Procedures Code (KUHAP) by using fake documents when applying for a passport in 2007, four years prior to assuming the top job at the KPK.

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