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eb. 20, p3

President Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo on Wednesday made what experts deemed to be a compromise in the current standoff between the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the National Police.

Jokowi dropped the nomination of Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan, who has been named a bribery suspect by the KPK as National Police chief and replaced him with National Police deputy chief Comr. Gen. Badrodin Haiti, while the President also appointed three acting leaders to replace KPK chairman Abraham Samad and Bambang Widjojanto, who were both named suspects by the police just days after the two named Budi a suspect.

While many call the appointments convenient, the track records of the figures are far from spotless.Taufiqurrahman Ruki and Indriyanto Seno Adji, for example, are known for their close relationships with the National Police, fanning speculation that the agency will soon drop Budi'€™s case and other cases related to the force and certain political elites.

Your comments:

After reading and listening to many opinions, I have a glimpse of understanding about the fallout of the KPK under Abraham Samad. I think after Busyro Muqoddas retired last December, the leadership of the KPK lost balance.

Jokowi'€™s choice is not bad and it'€™s not spectacular. The new leadership now lacks a maverick; they are all old heads. So we can expect they will move slower.

Having Taufiqurrahman (ex-high ranking police officer) as leader I think is good. The KPK should not single out the police.

I think actually our police have made an improvement. A few months ago I went to the police station for a license and I was surprised that I could not bribe; the police told me to follow the procedure. I am sure only a few have changed, but it is happening. The police are just a mirror of our society; if society changes, definitely the police will also change.

Last but not least, regarding Badrodin, he was also listed as one of the high-ranking police officers possessing inflated bank accounts. There is nothing wrong with being rich as long as no law has been broken.  

If you think as a businessman it is very possible with the kind of money he earns in his take-home pay, with smart investment he could earn billions of rupiah the clean and honest way within six to 10 years.

Badrodin is a smart guy. My point is don'€™t simply judge that a person is guilty because he is rich. Prove he broke the law.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I give Jokowi'€™s choice a 9.

Ate KL

The biggest question is who nominated or suggested these names to Jokowi?

Are these the best that Indonesia'€™s 250 million souls can offer?

Pauloh

One hope is that Jokowi has learned something from this experience about what it means to be
president.

Avenue

There is more than one way to skin a cat, and the President has found another way to weaken the KPK!

Jaytee

The sad truth is far too many people in this country, given the widespread poverty, worship money to the extent that they justify corruption as a means of achieving wealth.

On a scale of 1 to 10 Jokowi'€™s decision, at best, is a 4.

Wandering S.

Goodbye, KPK. Now the leaders are puppets for the police and the political elite.

Willo

President Jokowi, once again you have not looked at the history of Indriyanto Seno Adji and Taufiqurrahman Ruki. Wake up Jokowi! Get out on the streets and you will meet the real people who have a much cleaner history of law enforcement. You are about to start a revolt.

Hones D.

So one of the three new KPK acting leaders is apparently a pro-corruption defense lawyer who found that Sarpin'€™s decision on Budi was correct?  

He is a lawyer who since Soeharto'€™s fall until now has defended corruption tooth-and-nail against the KPK, anti-corruption activists and lawyers?

The second guy is the only individual to be head of the KPK and not nailed to the wall by the corrupt elite for going after one of its own? He also thinks that the KPK'€™s job is to toe the line and not rock the boat so that everyone can be happy (all the way to the bank).

The graft convicts for the next five years will be able to sleep well, as the KPK is turning over a new leaf.  

Now, it will only attack small graft offenders outside the elite.

Deddy K.