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Government aims to shield KPK from radicalism
The BNPT, which owns the database on radical groups and their links, would assist in tracking the candidates’ backgrounds to find out whether or not there were candidates who were exposed to radical teachings
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Scrutinizing team: Yenti Ganarsih (fourth left), who heads a committee to select leaders of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), walks with fellow committee members after meeting with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo at the State Palace in Jakarta on Monday. The President said he hoped the committee would be able to carry out its task of selecting KPK leaders with good records in managerial skills and integrity. (Antara/Puspa Perwitasari )
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he committee tasked with selecting Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) commissioners has defended its decision to involve the antiterrorism agency in the screening process, saying that it was a necessary step to protect the antigraft body amid growing radicalism in the country.
The move comes as the selection team sets about finding potential candidates with strong managerial skills, which observers have said could help to address repeated conflicts surrounding the KPK.
The registration for potential candidates competing for the seats opened on Monday and will remain open until July 4, and will be followed by a series of selection processes and assessments, including reviews of the track records of each candidate, which will also involve the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT).
The BNPT, which owns the database on radical groups and their links, would assist in tracking the candidates’ backgrounds to find out whether or not there were candidates who were exposed to radical teachings, committee member and political psychologist Hamdi Muluk said.
“The infiltration of radical ideologies, whether they are right-wing or left-wing, threatens our own ideology as the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia,” Hamdi said in a press conference after the team’s meeting with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.
“Our commitment to preventing the KPK from being exposed to radical ideologies is clear.”
Citing studies that revealed that radicalism had spread through university campuses and state-owned enterprises, Hamdi said the selection team had decided to take “extra caution”.
