The Golkar Party must also be more careful in choosing Azis’ replacement, especially after Alex Noerdin and Azis were both caught in corruption cases.
By
KOMPAS EDITOR
·3 minutes read
Kompas/Wawan H Prabowo
Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives (DPR) Azis Syamsuddin walks towards the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) detention car after undergoing an examination by the KPK investigators at the KPK Red and White Building, Kuningan, Jakarta, Saturday (25/9/2021) early morning.
Amid the unresolved issue of the non-active Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) employees who failed the controversial civic knowledge test, the KPK has arrested and detained House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Azis Syamsuddin.
Azis, a Golkar Party politician from the Lampung II electoral district was detained by the KPK and declared a suspect in a corruption case in Central Lampung. The move should be appreciated, with hopes that it will restore the public’s trust in the antigraft body.
The public’s trust eroded when the KPK dismissed 56 of its employees for failing a civic knowledge test. Meanwhile, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo avoided getting caught in the controversy by stating, “do not bring every single matter to the President.”
The decisions of the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court have provided a constitutional assessment of the normative article regarding the transfer status of the employees. However, it does not assess how the transfer is done. The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) and the Indonesian Ombudsman both assessed that there were issues and indications of human rights violations in the transfer status procedure.
Kompas/Wawan H Prabowo
Chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Firli Bahuri (center) gives an explanation regarding the detention of Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives (DPR) Azis Syamsuddin at the KPK Red and White Building, Kuningan, Jakarta, Saturday (25/9/2021) early in the morning.
The public supports law enforcement against Azis and possibly other parties involved in the KPK’s case. The Azis case emerged after Azis arranged a meeting between KPK investigator Stephanus Robin Pattuju and Tanjungbalai Mayor Muhammad Syahrial. In that case, KPK deputy chairperson Lili Pintauli Siregar also leaked information regarding Syahrial’s case that is being handled by the KPK. Lili has been punished with a pay cut by the KPK’s Supervisory Council as his actions were potentially criminal.
Anyone involved in corruption cases needs to be dealt with. Corruption is this nation’s comorbidity. Azis’ network needs to be uncovered and cleansed. Other corruption cases that involve high-ranking state officials must also be exposed in the name of justice, be it Social Affairs Minister Juliari Batubara’s social assistance case or lobster seedling exports or even bribery cases against members of the General Elections Commission (KPU).
It would be ideal for Golkar to find someone full of integrity, whose name is clear of any political corruption, to replace Azis.
Enforcing the ethics code within the House also needs to be emphasized. There is a lot of potential conflict for House members with backgrounds of advocacy and law enforcement but whose work oversees legal issues. Although Azis has resigned as deputy speaker, the House Ethics Committee (MKD) must also convene to confirm Azis’ status. Even here, the MKD has been deemed too late and too normative in its procedure.
The Golkar Party must also be more careful in choosing Azis’ replacement, especially after Alex Noerdin and Azis were both caught in corruption cases. It would be ideal for Golkar to find someone full of integrity, whose name is clear of any political corruption, to replace Azis and fulfill the role of the House’s deputy speaker, adding dynamic to the House institution.
Quick and appropriate steps to mitigate the political risks of the Golkar Party are needed. The decision will be left to the party and its chairman.
