Several KPK candidates questionable, NGO says<\/p>\n
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Coalition of the Judiciary Observers has lashed out at the
\ncommittee selecting candidates for seats on the Corruption
\nEradication Commission (KPK), for choosing figures with
\nquestionable track records.<\/p>\n
Asep Fajar Purnama of the coalition said at least half of the
\n40 candidates who qualified for the next selection stage were
\nknown to have close relations with allegedly corrupt high profile
\nfigures or convicts.<\/p>\n
One of the qualifiers, Asep said, is a prosecutor-turned-
\nlawyer, who is now representing House Speaker Akbar Tandjung in
\nhis appeal to the Supreme Court.<\/p>\n
Akbar was convicted of graft and sentenced to a three year
\nprison term by the Central Jakarta District Court, a verdict
\nwhich has been upheld by the Jakarta High Court.<\/p>\n
Another dubious qualifier, a former prosecutor, had been
\ndismissed for violating the code of conduct.<\/p>\n
\"How come they passed those candidates, while respected
\ncandidates failed simply because their essays were considered to
\nbe poor?\" Asep said. \"Writing an essay is a debatable requirement
\nas candidates could ask someone else to do it for them.\"<\/p>\n
The selection committee had earlier promised to refuse
\ncandidates linked with corruption cases, or who were suspected
\ncorruptors.<\/p>\n
Asep said the selection committee had failed to listen to the
\npublic. Moreover they seemed to lack the motivation to check
\ncandidates' records.<\/p>\n
\"They only wait for public response. Why didn't they seek
\nrecords from the Public Officials Wealth Audit Commission (KPKPN)
\nor the National Land Agency (BPN)?\" Asep said.
\n KPKPN will be dissolved after the KPK is established.<\/p>\n
However, Asep acknowledged that the selection committee had
\npicked some reputable candidates, including chairman of the
\nTransparency International Indonesia (TII) Erry Riyana
\nHardjapamekas, Partnership for Governance Reform activist Bambang
\nWidjojanto, lawyers Iskandar Sonhadji and Abdul Ficar Hadjar, and
\nlegal expert Achmad Ali.<\/p>\n
Earlier this week, 40 out of 218 candidates vying for posts on
\nthe commission, passed the second screening. Their names were
\npublished for public scrutiny.<\/p>\n
Committee chairman, Romli Atmasasmita, had called on the
\npublic to respond to the selection process.<\/p>\n
The remaining aspirants are required to undergo a personal
\nassessment test on Dec. 1, and an interview, which is open to the
\npublic, on Dec. 8. The committee will finally choose five people
\nto sit on the KPK executive body.<\/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, this year.<\/p>\n
The government has taken more than two years to form the
\nanticorruption commission. Many critics say this is a reflection
\nof its lackluster fight against corruption.<\/p>\n
KPK is dubbed a \"super body\" for its authority to investigate
\ncorruption cases and prosecute alleged corrupters, powers that
\nare currently the privilege of the police and prosecutors. KPK is
\nalso authorized to take over the investigation of corruption
\ncases from the police and prosecutors.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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