The root of the problem lies in the fact that the law revision lacks public participation despite the Constitutional Court (MK) declaring it constitutional.
By
KOMPAS EDITOR
·3 minutes read
Kompas/Heru Sri Kumoro
Secretary General of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Cahya Harefa, KPK Supervisory Board member Indriyanto Seno Adji, KPK Chairman Firli Bahuri, and KPK Deputy Chair Nurul Ghufron (left to right) speak to the press about the results of the assessment of the national insight test of KPK employees in Jakarta, Wednesday (5/5/2021).
The fate of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is on the line. It has come to light that 75 KPK employees have not qualified as civil servants.
The names of those allegedly unqualified employees are circulating on social media. They are reliable investigators who are currently dealing with major corruption cases. However, on social media they are said to seemingly be crooks who did not pass nationhood tests. The allegations undermine anticorruption workers who have shown a moral commitment to fighting corruption.
Claiming to have no knowledge about the issue, KPK chairman Firli Bahuri and secretary-general Cahya Harefa said they would coordinate with the Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Ministry.
Meanwhile, claiming ignorance, Minister Tjahjo Kumolo said he had never been involved in the selection process of KPK employees (Kompas, 6 May 2021).
However, a refutation is likely in store that the KPK law revision aims to strengthen the anticorruption commission.
The contentious scheme over the required status change of KPK employees to state civil servants is part of the scenario to subvert the KPK. However, a refutation is likely in store that the KPK law revision aims to strengthen the anticorruption commission. The root of the problem lies in the fact that the law revision lacks public participation despite the Constitutional Court (MK) declaring it constitutional. The verdict saw dissenting opinion from the panel of judges, with Wahiduddin Adams deeming the discussion on the revision of the KPK Law as unconstitutional.
ANTARA FOTO/HAFIDZ MUBARAK
Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Chairman Agus Rahardjo (second left) receives the results of a petition from the chairman of the Central Board of Muhammadiyah Youths, Virgo Sulianto Gohardi (second right), witnessed by former KPK Deputy Chairman Mochammad Jasin (left) as well as a number of anti-corruption activists who are members of the Anti-Corruption Civil Coalition in the KPK building, Jakarta, Tuesday (5/6/2019). The Anti-Corruption Civil Society Coalition rejected the inclusion of an article on corruption in the Criminal Code Bill which was considered to weaken the KPK in eradicating corruption in the country.
Expressing his opinion, Wahiduddin wrote, "... it is difficult for me not to conclude that the problem inventory of this bill was only prepared by the President in less than 24 hours ..." However, Wahiduddin’s opinion was voted out.
Wisnu Juwono\'s London School of Economy dissertation, which was later published in the book Sejarah Pemberantasan Korupsi di Indonesia 1945-2014 [history of corruption eradication in Indonesia 1945-2014], states that all anticorruption institutions are dead or are being crippled. The KPK in the era of then-president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono became the target of repeated political attacks, but could still escape safely."
The oligarchic power that did not want corruption eradication was apparently still ardent.
Revision can be realized when political power is too dominant while opposition is weak and intellectuals are heedless.
Now, efforts to undermine the KPK have been through the passage of the law revision. Revision can be realized when political power is too dominant while opposition is weak and intellectuals are heedless.
The MK endorsed the House of Representatives (DPR) and the government’s decision to reject the petition for judicial review over the revision. The voices of 72 anticorruption academic professors were not heard.
Kompas/Heru Sri Kumoro
An anticorruption activist holds a poster which reads “help” at a #savekpk rally at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) building in South Jakarta on Sept. 8, 2019 (8/9/2019). The protest was held to express concerns over efforts to weaken the antigraft body, including a plan to revise the KPK Law.
Now, the ball is in the hands of KPK leadership, whether to get rid the employees who did not pass nationhood tests or opt for another headway. The MK is of the opinion that whatever decision the KPK makes, it must not be backfire on those who have rendered their state services. In other words, the KPK employees who have helped uncover major corruption cases to retrieve slush funds have done so for the nation’s sake. Let history record the KPK is resigned to its fate.
