TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Police generals vie for key KPK position
Whoever triumphs will hold a key position within the antigraft body, as the law enforcement deputy director oversees all legal processes against graft suspects.
Change Size
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) building stands on Jl. HR Rasuna Said in Jakarta on Nov. 30, 2015. (JP/Wienda Parwitasari)
A
fter days of pressure from civil society organizations over a lack of accountability, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has revealed the names of the three remaining candidates for the commission’s deputy for law enforcement position.
KPK acting spokesperson Ali Fikri said in a statement on Friday that all of the remaining candidates were police generals: Yogyakarta Police deputy chief Brig. Gen. Karyoto, South Sumatra Police deputy chief Brig. Gen. Rudi Setiawan and National Police Education and Training Institute (Lemdiklat Polri) detective training program head Brig. Gen. Agus Nugroho.
The three candidates passed the administrative assessment in early March. They will undergo the next phases of the selection process, a medical checkup and interview, from April 2 to 7.
Whoever triumphs will hold a key position within the antigraft body, as the deputy for law enforcement oversees all legal processes against graft suspects.
While the position is usually filled by police generals or other law enforcement officers, anticorruption activists have said that putting a police general in the position would cause conflicts of interest.
Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) said on Wednesday that public trust in the antigraft body would be eroded further if the position was filled by people “lacking integrity and capacity”.
Read also: 'Maybe it's working': KPK says lack of raids thanks to successful prevention method
Ali dismissed the criticism, saying the selection process had been carried out openly. He said the KPK had not restricted anyone from applying for the position.
“As long as the applicants fulfill our terms and conditions, they are welcome to enter the selection process,” Ali said. “The KPK already has a good work system. All of our work here can be measured for its accountability.”
Activists have also demanded that the antigraft body restart the selection process, saying the commission had not been transparent about the process. The KPK had not previously disclosed the names of candidates.
The KPK also did not involve the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) in this year’s selection. The institution was involved in checking the financial backgrounds of each candidate in previous searches.
In addition to the deputy for law enforcement position, the KPK is also selecting candidates to fill other key posts, namely investigation director, legal bureau head as well as deputy for information and data. The last position is responsible for all wiretapping conducted by the antigraft body.
All the remaining candidates for the other three positions have given presentations and have been interviewed.
Since police general Firli Bahuri was inaugurated as the KPK chairman in December 2019, the antigraft body has been routinely criticized for its sluggish law enforcement. It has only arrested two high-profile graft suspects in the period: Sidoarjo Regent Saiful Ilah and General Elections Commission (KPU) commissioner Wahyu Setiawan.
