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Govt sets up team to reform rector electoral system
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Against corruption – (From left to right) Indonesia Ombudsman commissioner Laode Ida, State Civilian Bureaucracy Commission (KASN) deputy chairman Irham Dilmy, Research, Technology and Higher Education Minister Muhammad Nasir and Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) commissioner Laode M. Syarif speak to reporters after a meeting at the ministry in Jakarta on Nov.4. They discussed the current rector selection method, which has been deemed as prone to bribery. (JP/Fachrul Sidiq)
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he Research, Technology and Higher Education Ministry is teaming up with three other government institutions, namely the Indonesian Ombudsman, the State Civilian Bureaucracy Commission (KASN) and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), to reform the election procedures for rectors in state universities.
“The team has been established to produce a more responsible and accountable electoral system for rectors in the future,” Research, Technology and Higher Education Minister Muhammad Nasir said at his office on Friday. It was expected that the team would produce concrete results by the end of this year, he went on.
The current ministerial regulation, which allocates 35 percent of votes for the ministry in the election of a rector at a state university, is considered to be problematic as it leads to political transactions and abuses of power. People claiming to be close acquaintances of the minister have often promised to lobby the minister to favor certain rector candidates in exchange for bribes, reports reveal.
“In the future, direct interactions between rector candidates and ministry officials should be prohibited," Nasir said.
Previously, the ombudsman claimed it had received several reports of alleged irregularities during rector elections in seven universities in Java, Sumatra and Sulawesi. It later reported the alleged bribery practices to the KPK for further investigation.
KPK commissioner Laode Syarif said the antigraft body would proceed with legal action should it find valid and sufficient evidence of the report findings. “However, [to ensure the KPK's independence] the investigation would not conducted in collaboration with the established team,” he said. (fac/ebf)
