House to replace KPU members amid graft probe<\/p>\n
Tony Hotland, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Responding to louder calls from the public and antigraft
\norganizations, the House of Representatives plans to replace
\nmembers of the General Elections Commission (KPU), who are being
\ninvestigated for allegedly embezzling billions.<\/p>\n
In his opening remarks as the House resumed session on Monday
\nafter a five-week recess, Speaker Agung Laksono said the
\nlegislature had included the planned replacement of KPU members
\nas part of its supervising function during the next 20 weeks.<\/p>\n
\"During this House's fourth session, there will be nominations
\nand elections of public officials, which is the nomination of
\nBank Indonesia deputy governors and the replacement of KPU
\nmembers,\" he said.<\/p>\n
House deputy speaker Zaenal Ma'arif admitted that the plan to
\nreplace the KPU members came in the wake of intensive demands by
\nnon-governmental and other civil organizations for the House to
\ndo so.<\/p>\n
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has revealed, over
\nthe past several weeks, strong indications of widespread
\ncorruption at the KPU.<\/p>\n
\"Yes, the replacement is planned because of demands from many
\npeople for the House to immediately replace the KPU members. But
\nwe'll leave the details to the House Commission II (overseeing
\nhome affairs), including whether or not all of the members will
\nbe replaced,\" Zaenal said.<\/p>\n
Commission II deputy Ida Fauziyah said her commission had not
\nyet discussed the plan, pending the results of its internal
\ninvestigation.<\/p>\n
Eleven KPU members were elected through screening by the House
\nfor a four-year tenure in 2001. Two of them, lecturers Imam
\nPrasodjo and Muji Sutrisno, resigned in 2003 due to conflicts of
\ninterest, while Hamid Awaluddin was appointed justice minister
\nlast year.<\/p>\n
The KPU came under fire after one of its key members, Mulyana
\nW. Kusumah, was caught by KPK investigators, while allegedly
\ntrying to bribe an auditor from the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK)
\nlast month in an apparent attempt to influence audit results.<\/p>\n
Things worsened after an audit report by the BPK indicated
\nwidespread corruption in the procurement materials for last
\nyear's legislative election.<\/p>\n
Agung Laksono said Commission II has been tasked to review the
\nBPK report and was given two weeks to submit its own report.<\/p>\n
Commission II chairman Ferry Mursyidan Baldan said his side
\nwould start its task by summoning KPU members who had promised to
\nsubmit a clarification report to the House regarding the BPK
\nfindings some time this week.<\/p>\n
A dissenting opinion came from members of Commission III on
\nlegal affairs, who said there was no need for another probe by
\nthe House.<\/p>\n
\"Our commission is of the opinion that the BPK report should
\nbe directly filed with the KPK to speed up the legal process,\"
\nsaid Commission III chairman Agustin Teras Narang.<\/p>\n
He said the BPK report was already comprehensive and adequate
\nto help the KPK accelerate its investigation, which many have
\ndeemed to be sluggish.<\/p>\n
The KPK has said it was yet to receive the BPK report because
\nonly the House had the authority to share BPK audit reports with
\nother state institutions.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, KPK chief Taufiequrrahman Ruki said his office had
\nnamed a new suspect in the bribery case apart from Mulyana
\nKusumah and acting KPU secretary-general Sussongko Suhardjo.<\/p>\n
However, Ruki declined to identify the third suspect.<\/p>\n
The KPK questioned on Monday three more KPU officials --
\nfinancial division head Heri Hermawan, deputy Elpison Anwar and
\nsecretary Susilo Hadi.<\/p>",
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