KPK candidates to face test of integrity<\/p>\n
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
As many as 40 aspirants for the Corruption Eradication Commission
\n(KPK) executive body are slated to compete to pass the profile
\nassessment test on Saturday, which is part of a series of
\nexaminations to net five people to lead the body.<\/p>\n
Only half of the candidates will make the grade to vie for the
\nlast test, an interview that will be open to the public on Dec.
\n4.<\/p>\n
The third test is important because it supposedly screens the
\nintegrity and the capability of the candidates to combat
\ncorruption, a widespread occurrence across the country.<\/p>\n
Two independent companies -- PT Dunamis Inter Master and PT
\nDaya Dimensi Indonesia -- have been assigned to conduct the test.
\nThe companies have earlier conducted a similar test for the
\nlatest recruitment of state prosecutors, which was also assisted
\nby the non-governmental organization Partnership for Government
\nReform.<\/p>\n
The companies conduct written and oral tests for the
\ncandidates. They are expected to rank the candidates based on the
\naspirants' merit during the tests.<\/p>\n
However, the outcome of the test is only a recommendation for
\nthe KPK selection committee, which has the authority either to
\naccept or ignore the test results.<\/p>\n
Asep Rahmat Fajar, the coordinator of the Coalition of
\nJudiciary Observers, warned that the selection committee must use
\nthe test results to screen the candidates.<\/p>\n
\"Otherwise the test would be useless because the committee may
\nchoose a candidate who has a questionable performance,\" he said
\non Friday.<\/p>\n
Asep pointed to the fact that the committee had ignored the
\ninvestigative report by the coalition about the track records of
\nthe candidates.<\/p>\n
Several candidates with questionable track records combating
\ncorruption are among the 40 to undergo the third test on
\nSaturday.<\/p>\n
The selection committee, Asep said, must be transparent and
\nfair in revealing the test results to the public.<\/p>\n
\"The KPK is a super body. The committee is responsible to
\nselect candidates with integrity, if the country is serious to
\nphase out corruption practices here,\" he said.<\/p>\n
According to law No. 30\/2001 on the Corruption Eradication
\nCommission, the KPK executive board must be inaugurated by the
\npresident by Dec. 27.<\/p>\n
The KPK has the authority to investigate corruption cases and
\nprosecute alleged corrupters, powers that are currently the
\nprivilege of police and prosecutors.<\/p>\n
The KPK, whose establishment has been postponed several times
\nsince 1999, is also granted with powers to take over the
\ninvestigation of corruption cases by police and state
\nprosecutors.<\/p>\n
Many expected that the KPK would be able to boost the
\ncountry's drive against rampant corruption practices.<\/p>\n
No significant achievement has been made since the country
\ndeclared war against corruption at the beginning of the reform
\nmovement in 1997.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has been ranked recently by he World Economic Forum
\n(WEF) at number 60 out of a total 102 countries surveyed in terms
\nof business competitiveness.<\/p>\n
According to the forum, rampant corruption and ineffective
\nbureaucracy are the two most important factors behind the
\ncountry's low ranking.<\/p>\n
A survey by Berlin-based Transparency International (TI) has
\nput Indonesia as the sixth most corrupt country in the world with
\na Corruption Perception Index of 1.9, with the highest or
\ncleanest score being 10.<\/p>\n
Last year Indonesia ranked fourth among 122 countries surveyed
\nwith a corruption index of 1.9.<\/p>\n
The seemingly hopeless effort to combat corruption has
\nresulted in the recent move by two largest Muslim organizations
\nin the country, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and Muhammadiyah
\nrespectively, to start a moral movement against corruption.<\/p>",
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