T

he government has eliminated the age requirements for Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) leaders in a regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) issued by President Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo to replace the 2002 Law on the KPK following the recent conflict between the antigraft body and the National Police.

During a hearing at the House of Representatives Commission III overseeing law and legal affairs on Monday, it was revealed that while drafting articles regulating the emergency appointment of KPK leaders in the Perppu, the government had removed an article on the age requirement.

Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly admitted to removing the article after the government appointed Taufiequrachman Ruki, a former KPK chief, as the acting chairman to replace Abraham Samad, who has been named a suspect in a document forgery case.

He said the government had issued the Perppu because it felt it was urgent to settle the police-KPK dispute. Also, there was an urgency to fill the vacuum of leadership in the long-trusted public institution.

'€œWe were very concerned about solving the problem [of a leadership vacuum at the KPK]. We needed an experienced figure who had previously worked there,'€ Yasonna explained during Monday'€™s hearing.

As a pioneer in the antigraft body and a former policeman, Ruki was seen as a figure that could bridge the rift between the two institutions.

The Perppu, dated Feb. 15, was issued amid the heated conflict between the police and the KPK following the nomination of Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan as National Police chief.

The police reacted with anger after the KPK named Budi a suspect in a bribery case and the force subsequently named two of the antigraft body'€™s commissioners, Abraham and Bambang Widjojanto, suspects in two separate cases.

The police also resurrected an investigation into KPK investigator Novel Baswedan, in a case that had lain dormant following former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono'€™s instruction to stop the investigation.

Article 29 of the existing KPK Law stipulates that KPK commissioners should be at least 40 years old and no older than 60.

On Feb. 20, President Jokowi appointed Ruki, who is 68 years old, along with two other new commissioners, Johan Budi and Indriyanto Senoadji, to replace Abraham, Bambang and Busyro Muqoddas, whose term ended last year.

Ruki retired from the KPK in 2012 when he reached the maximum age for KPK commissioner.

Yasonna added that the government could not wait for the selection process at the House.

'€œThe law on the selection of the KPK chief at the House takes too much time. If we are not quick on this, it will further damage the image of Indonesia in combating corruption,'€ he said.

During Monday'€™s meeting, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), some of whose legislators have been arrested by the KPK, rejected the new regulation and indeed questioned the need for the KPK.

'€œWe propose a rethink on the existence of the KPK through the restoration of police trust,'€ said PKS legislator, Nasir Djamil.

The Democratic Party and the National Awakening Party (PKB) accepted the need for the new regulation. The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Gerindra, Golkar and the United Development Party (PPP) adopted a wait-and-see approach to how the new selection process unfolds.

The four party factions agreed with the reasoning behind the government issuing the new regulation, but they said it should go through proper procedures.

They added that the KPK chief selection committee should ensure that they select a wise and proper leader for the KPK. (saf)