223 pass first screening for KPTPK

223 pass first screening for KPTPK

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Almost more than half of the 513 people seeking seats on the
Corruption Eradication Commission (KPTPK) passed the first
screening stage, it was announced Sunday.

Selection committee chairman Romli Atmasasmita said a total of
223 out of 513 aspirants met the administrative requirements and
will thus undergo now undergo selection tests and public
scrutiny.

"The public are now encouraged to provide their input and
opinions (of the candidates) from Oct. 27 through Nov. 26," said
Romli, who was accompanied by committee deputy chairpersons
Abdulgani Abdullah and Adnan Buyung Nasution.

Those who passed the administrative screening included the
chairman of the Transparency International Indonesia (TII), Erry
Riyana Hardjapamekas, Partnership for Governance Reform activist
Bambang Widjojanto, former justice minister Marsilam Simanjuntak,
lawyer Indra Sahnun Lubis, and retired police officer Insp. Gen.
(ret) Momo Kelana.

Romli, who heads the National Law Development Board (BPHN) at
the justice and human right ministry, said that the 223 figures
would be invited to produce papers explaining their visions and
missions, the strategies they would employ to eradicate
corruption, and their previous experience in combating
corruption.

"All of them will be examined," Romli was quoted by Antara as
saying Sunday.

He disclosed that the administrative screening process was
conducted jointly by all committee members. The decisions were
arrived at by the committee through consensus rather than a vote.

Meanwhile, Buyung said the committee would not reveal the
detailed reasons behind the committee's decision to disqualify
more than half of the total number of applicants.

"But if the public want to know the reasons, we will give
explanations," he said.

Regarding the presentation of papers during the next screening
stage, Buyung said that this was not merely aimed at ascertaining
the candidates' visions and missions, but also finding out more
about their characters.

The selection committee has prepared a schedule for the
selection process.

Based on Presidential Decree No.73/2003 on the composition of
the selection committee, the committee is headed by Romli
Atmasasmita, who has two deputies, Abdulgani and Buyung.

The secretary of the committee is Abdul Wahid, while its
members are criminal law experts Loebby Loeqman, Komaruddin,
Harkristuti Harkrisnowo, Ansari Ritonga, Moegihardjo, Basrief
Arif, Insp. Gen. Sukamto, Andi Hamzah, and lawyers Todung Mulya
Lubis and Indrianto Seno Adji.

The are widespread doubts as to whether the new commission
will be able to effectively combat corruption in the country.
Indonesia ranks sixth on the list of the world's most corrupt
countries.

The selection committee had only 57 days to establish the
commission with 20 of these having been spent on the registration
stage.

The committee will select 10 candidates to sit on the KPTPK
executive board after they have first been screened for their
credibility, integrity and track records.

The team will have to submit the names of 10 candidates by
Dec. 5 to President Megawati Soekarnoputri, who will select five
and submit them to the House of Representatives for approval.

The commission is expected to have started its work by Dec.
27.

According to Law No. 30/2002 on the Corruption Eradication
Commission, the House must endorse the five candidates within
three months of their nomination by the President.