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KPK, PPATK find nothing on Tito
Tito Karnavian - JPComr
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Tito Karnavian - JP
Comr. Gen. Tito Karnavian’s path to becoming the next National Police chief has been made smoother as the country’s antigraft body and the audit agency have declared that he is clear of any suggestion of corruption.
As a senior state official, Tito, the sole choice of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to replace retiring police chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti, has never been mentioned in any public complaint related to graft or irregular transactions, said the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) on Tuesday.
KPK chairman Agus Rahardjo also revealed that the antigraft body found no irregularities in Tito’s official wealth reports (LHKPN), which he submitted twice, in November 2014 and March 2016.
“The KPK has found no indication of wrongdoing linked to corruption,” Agus said during a hearing with the House of Representatives Commission III overseeing security, human rights and legal affairs.
The PPATK, meanwhile, has checked the transaction records between 2004 and 2014 of Tito’s 14 accounts with private banks, only one of which is still active, and three accounts with state-owned banks, two of which have been closed. The agency also audited the bank accounts and insurance policies of his wife and three sons.
“We found no irregularities there at all. All was clean,” PPATK chairman Muhammad Yusuf said.
The declarations by the two most respected institutions in the country come ahead of the current National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) chief’s confirmation hearing by the commission, which is set for Thursday.
This is in stark contrast to last year when Jokowi proposed current deputy police chief Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan as police chief to replace former chief Gen. Sutarman.
Jokowi subsequently canceled the proposal after the KPK named Budi a graft suspect in connection with suspiciously substantial bank accounts the day prior to his undergoing a confirmation hearing with Commission III.
Jokowi eventually appointed Badrodin to the top job.
Meanwhile Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan as well as Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly, speaking on behalf of the National Police Commission (Kompolnas), have confirmed to Commission III that Tito’s professionalism is “not in doubt.”
“Good professionalism and excellent handling of responsibility and his duties” was how Yasonna described Tito, who was formerly police chief in Papua and Jakarta.
However, lawmakers have expressed concern about whether Tito’s appointment will cause trouble within the police itself, as he is the youngest of all the mooted candidates, including Budi and National Narcotics Agency (BNN) chief Comr. Gen. Budi Waseso.
In response, retired police executive Bekto Suprapto of Kompolnas said Tito’s relationship skills would allow him to resolve any issues with subordinates.
National Police general planning assistant Arif Wachyunadi concurred saying that leapfrogging nominal seniors was not uncommon. “As far as I can see, Tito is an officer with the greatest of respect for his seniors. He will be very welcome,” Arif said.
However, the opposition Gerindra Party still questioned whether Tito could earn the public’s trust as opposed to that of the President.
“I’m not sure Tito can free himself from [the suggestion of] political intervention, unless Jokowi has the courage to appoint a more senior officer as his deputy,” said Gerindra lawmaker Desmond J. Mahesa, who is also Commission III deputy chairman, following speculation that Tito would conduct an internal reshuffle and nominate Insp. Gen. Lutfi Lubihanto and Comr. Gen. Syafruddin as candidates for the post of National Police deputy chief.
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