D

espite drawing criticism from the House of Representatives, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) says it will move ahead with a plan to recruit Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel for several key posts.

Acting KPK commissioner Johan Budi said that to avoid a conflict of interest, any TNI personnel recruited by the KPK would need to resign from the military.

'€œWe are still in discussions [with the TNI] with regards to the plan,'€ Johan said.

Earlier on Friday, interim KPK chairman Taufiequrachman Ruki told TNI chief Gen. Moeldoko that military personnel were welcome to apply for several high-ranking positions at the antigraft body, including as the agency'€™s director for investigation; director for internal supervision; heads of legal and public relations divisions and as prevention deputy head.

Responding to criticism of the plan, Dwi Ria Latifa, a member of House Commission III overseeing legal affairs, said requiring TNI personnel to retire from the military before applying for a job at the KPK would not result in the severing of ties to their corps, a condition Ria said could create a conflict of interest.

'€œThis is no longer about the police versus the KPK. Who can guarantee that the two [TNI and KPK] will not get involved in a future conflict if the KPK wants to investigate an active TNI member? The KPK should not solve one problem by creating another one,'€ said Latifa, who is an Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician.

Johan dismissed Ria'€™s concerns, saying there would no conflict of interest, as the KPK was not authorized to investigate any active TNI personnel on suspicion of graft.

'€œWe can'€™t launch a probe on the TNI because the existing law does not authorize the KPK to do so,'€ Johan said.