Harun, who has been named as a suspect in the bribery case involving the replacement of House of Representatives (DPR) members, has left Indonesia for Singapore.
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JAKARTA, KOMPAS— The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is seeking immediate assistance from Interpol via the National Police in arresting Harun Masiku, a former legislative candidate from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P). Harun, who has been named as a suspect in the bribery case involving the replacement of House of Representatives (DPR) members, has left Indonesia for Singapore.
"The KPK has coordinated immediately with the National Police to request the assistance of the Interpol National Central Bureau (NCB) to locate Harun. I believe it will not be difficult to locate a corruption criminal," KPK deputy chairman Nurul Ghufronn said on Monday evening (13/1/2020) in Jakarta.
Harun has been advised to surrender since he was named as a suspect on Thursday (9/1). However, he remains at large. Public relations head Arvin Gumilang of the Law and Human Rights Ministry’s immigration directorate general said that Harun departed on an 11:00 a.m. flight on Monday (6/1) from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang to Changi Airport in Singapore.
"Until now there has been no information on whether Harun has returned to Indonesia. We haven\'t checked yet, and we will check further tomorrow," said Arvin.
University of Indonesia international law lecturer Hikmahanto Juwana said the cooperation with the Interpol NCB would result in the issuance of a Red Notice from Interpol headquarters in Lyon, France, to all 194 Interpol member countries, including Indonesia. A Red Notice is a request to locate, arrest and detain a suspect, defendant or convict in criminal cases for transporting to the requesting country.
In addition to Harun, the KPK has also named three other suspects in the case: KPU commissioner Wahyu Setiawan, Saeful Bahri (PDI-P Secretariat staffer) and Agustiani Tio Fridelina (2008-2012 member, Elections Supervisory Agency/Bawaslu). The three suspects are currently detained by the KPK.
The alleged bribery involves Harun’s intention to replace Nazarudin Kiemas, the PDI-P’s 2019 legislative candidate for the South Sumatra 1 electoral district, who died in March 2019. However, the KPU decided that Nazarudin would be replaced with Riezky Aprilia, who had 44,402 votes. Harun was the PDI-P’s fifth candidate with 5,878 votes. In accordance with the Elections Law, the KPU named Riezky as Nazarudin’s replacement.
Seized documents
KPK acting spokesman Ali Fikri said that KPK investigators had confiscated several documents obtained during a search of Wahyu\'s office at the Bank Indonesia dormitory on Jl. Imam Bonjol, Central Jakarta. The search took approximately nine hours. Investigators also searched Wahyu\'s residence on Jl. Siaga Raya in Pejaten, South Jakarta, and seized several important documents allegedly related to the suspects’ activities from the two locations.
"We will later confirm with the witnesses which [documents] will be presented," said Ali.
When asked whether the investigation team would search the PDI-P’s central executive office (DPP), Ali said he could not provide information on which locations the KPK would search. "We will provide more information later," he said.
Ali also stressed that the KPK had a strategy for procuring all necessary evidence, although it had only four days to carry out its search after declaring the suspects.
As regards the party’s policy in supporting Harun’s bid to replace Nazarudin Kiemas in the House, PDI-P DPP vice chairman Ahmad Basarah said, "That consideration is certainly confidential, as it is part of the party’s strategic consideration. That\'s normal."
When asked further regarding the considerations involved in selecting Harun, Basarah explained that PDI-P secretary-general Hasto Kristiyanto had attended to all matters related to Harun. "That is an [internal matter]. Now, as to how this [internal matter relates] to this context, [is] the secretary-general. I am the head of foreign affairs. So, request the information from him," said Basarah.
In connection with the close ties between Hasto and Harun, PDI-P executive chairman Djarot Saiful Hidayat said that this information could not be released to the public. "The party had subjective considerations in choosing Harun, and this is not the first case. There was a precedent. The interim replacement is not only based on the most votes,” said Djarot.
Following Wahyu\'s resignation after he was named as a suspect, the Election Organization Ethics Council (DKPP) scheduled a review hearing on Wednesday (1/15). DKPP member Ida Budhiati said the council had verified the formal and material aspects of the complaint submitted by the Bawaslu.
Following the verification, the DKPP stated that it had met all formal and material aspects. The DKPP also asked for the KPK’s support so the council could review Wahyu as the defendant on his alleged violation of electoral code of conduct. (SHR/AGE/DVD/INK)