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PDI-P backs KPK leader in civics test controversy
Firli stands accused of orchestrating removal of top KPK investigators
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he ruling Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has called on the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to ignore the National Human Rights Commission’s (Komnas HAM) summons over the antigraft body’s attempts to remove senior KPK investigators.
KPK leaders failed to answer on Tuesday the first summons issued by Komnas HAM as part of its ongoing investigation into the organizing of controversial civic knowledge tests. The probe came after a group of KPK employees who failed the tests reported the KPK leaders to Komnas HAM for allegedly violating their human rights when organizing the tests between March and April.
The tests contained several questions that allegedly discriminated against certain races and religious beliefs. Some 75 KPK workers failed the tests, 24 of whom were retained but required to attend civic education training before being inaugurated as civil servants.
PDI-P politician Kapitra Ampera said summoning the KPK leaders was beyond Komnas HAM’s authority and therefore he supported the KPK leaders in refusing to meet with the rights body.
“Komnas HAM does not have the right to summon the KPK chairman [Firli Bahuri]. The KPK should ignore the summons because it [the issue] is not within the jurisdiction [of Komnas HAM],” Kapitra said on Wednesday as quoted by tribunnews.com.
He said Komnas HAM’s authority, under Law No. 26/2000 on the Human Rights Court, was only to investigate matters related to gross human rights violations, saying that the organizing of the civic knowledge tests could not be categorized as a gross violation of human rights.
Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Minister Tjahjo Kumolo, who is also a PDI-P member, echoed Kapitra’s statement before lawmakers on Tuesday, saying that he supported the KPK leaders.
“We support the KPK [leaders] who refused to be summoned by Komnas HAM,” Tjahjo said in a meeting with House of Representatives Commission II, which oversees home affairs, on Tuesday. “Are civic affairs also an issue of human rights violations?”
A coalition of anticorruption activist groups condemned Tjaho’s statement and questioned his motives.
“Tjahjo’s statement has shed further light on the mapping of actors [responsible for] the weakening of the KPK,” the group said in a statement on Wednesday. “The statement [by Tjahjo] indicates an interest outside of his position as the administrative and bureaucratic reform minister. What business is it of his to make such a controversial comment?”
The statements by the PDI-P members came following a recently published investigation by independent whistleblowing platform IndonesiaLeaks -- which highlighted Firli’s instrumental role in lobbying for the civic tests to be held as part of the transition of the KPK staff into civil servant status.
Such a status transition was mandated by the 2019 KPK Law, which was passed after an unusually speedy deliberation process and amid strong public opposition.
The statements also came after two PDI-P members, namely Juliari Batubara and Harun Masiku, were named suspects by the KPK in two separate graft cases.
Komnas HAM commissioner Mohammad Choirul Anam said his office reserved the right to summon anyone in its investigations into alleged human rights violations.
“According to the 1999 law on Komnas HAM, which stipulates the authority of Komnas HAM, we can summon anyone to obtain their statements [as part of an investigation],” Choirul said on Wednesday, after issuing another summons against KPK leaders to give their statements next Tuesday.
He said the summonses were a chance for KPK leaders to “clarify” and provide “balanced information” on the issue.
Transparency International Indonesia director Danang Widoyoko has called on President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to intervene on the issue, warning that if the controversy drags on, it will undermine the country’s ability to combat corruption as well as tarnishing the KPK’s reputation.
Executive Office of the President expert staffer Ali Mochtar Ngabalin urged the public not to “politicize” the issue and called for a swift resolution, adding that Jokowi would respect how the KPK managed its internal matters. “The President will be supportive of all internal decisions made by the KPK,” he said as quoted by tribunnews.com.
