September, 24,2009
By Lynn Lee
Indonesia Correspondent
Jakarta: Indonesia President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono yesterday made a move to bolster the leadership of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), which has lost three of its five leaders in recent months to scandal.
Before leaving for the United States to meet world leaders at the group of 20 summit, Dr Yudhoyono ordered the formation of a team to propose three interim leaders by next Thursday. The new leaders will then be sworn in the following day.
The KPK - which has many enemies among Indonesia's elite due to its largely successful attempts at exposing corruption scandals - lost its chief Mr Antasari Azghar in May when police named him as the suspected mastermind of the murder of a bussinessman. He is now awaiting trial.
Last week, two of KPK's four deputy chairman - Messrs Chandra M. Hamzah and Bibit Samad Rianto - were suspended from their posts, after police accused them of abusing their power by issuing travel bans on two businessmen suspected of graft.
The KPK's two remaining deputies, Mr Haryono Umar and Mr M. Jasin, have been running the institution.
Dr Yudhoyono referred to his move to appoint new leaders as an "emergency situation" for the KPK. He said that after consulting with the Constitutional and Supreme Courts and top legislators, he would issue a presidential regulation to appoint the new leaders.
But his move was met with a backlash from analysts and anti-graft activists who said that he should not impose his will on the KPK, which operates independently of the government.
The KPK has gained a reputation as one of the few clean institution in the country, where corruption is endemic, after a series of successful convictions against top officials.
Said Ms Jaleswari Pramowardhani of the Indonesian Institute of sciences to The Jakarta Post : "This could be a bad precedent for the future, that the government would be able to interfere in any institution in this nation."
Also, there has been dispute over whether Mr Chandra and Mr Bibit are indeed guilty. Their supporters said the national police have a bone to pick with the KPK. Supporters have also decried investigations on both men as no evidence has been found to implicate them.
By law, KPK leaders have to be aproved by a Parliament committee, but the process is a lengthy one. Yesterday, Cordinating Minister for Politics, Legal and Security Affairs, Mr Widodo Adi Sucipto, who is on the five man approval team said Dr Yudhoyono wanted to have the "void" in the KPK filled soon.
The others on the team are justice and Human Rights Minister Andi Mattalatta, presidential adviser Adnan Buyung Nasution, former KPK chief Taufiqurrahman Ruki and lawyer and human rights activist Todung Mulya Lubis (left).
Mr Todung, who was the Jakarta based defence counsel for Temasek Holdings' wrangle with Indonesia's anti-monopoly agency, told The Straits Times yesterday that the team will meet today for the first time.
They would be looking for candidates who have integrity, good character and are committed to the anti-graft cause, among other qualities, he said.
According to news reports, some names that activists have suggested include Mr Amin Sunaryadi, a former deputy chairman of the KPK, and Mr Marsilam Simanjuntak, the former attorney-general.
Said Mr Todung: "I don't see the President as interfering in the process, because the team of five has been formed and our task is to give him three names. So, we will be listening for any worthy recommendations from the ground."
lynnlee@sph.com.sg
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