372 Politicians Engaged in Corruption Since 2004, KPK Calls for Improved Political Party Cadre System
Jakarta, VIVA – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) views the cadre system of political parties (parpol) as needing improvement after the past 22 years, from 2004 to 2025, during which 371 politicians were embroiled in corruption cases handled by the anti-corruption agency.
“371, or about 19.02 percent of 1,951 corruption perpetrators based on profession, are members of the House of Representatives/Regional House of Representatives (DPR/DPRD),” said KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo to reporters in Jakarta on Monday, 27 April 2026.
Budi explained that the KPK data positions politicians or legislators as one of the three professional groups most involved in corruption over the past 22 years.
In addition, he said the KPK data also records 176 corruption perpetrators as regents/mayors, and 31 others as governors.
Furthermore, 11 regional heads from the 2024 Pilkada have been arrested by the KPK.
“This situation indicates the importance of improving the political system and cadre system so that public positions are truly filled by individuals with integrity,” he stated.
According to him, the KPK sees the improvement of political party governance systems as increasingly urgent because it is closely related to public policy and government governance.
“Thus, when the cadre process is built with integrity, the leaders who emerge will have an orientation towards the public interest, not transactional interests,” he said.
Previously, the KPK’s Monitoring Directorate in 2025 conducted a study on corruption prevention in the political party governance sector.
The KPK’s proposals were conveyed alongside findings that political party cadre systems are not running well, leading to entry costs for individuals to become party cadres and be endorsed in general elections.
Therefore, in its study, the KPK proposes improvements to the party cadre system to suppress such costs, while preventing efforts to recoup political capital by individuals who join the party and become cadres due to certain political costs.
Then, to support the implementation of a good cadre system, the KPK proposes dividing party members into youth, intermediate, and senior members.
In addition, there is a KPK proposal that candidates for DPR members be senior party cadres. Meanwhile, candidates for provincial DPRD members be intermediate cadres.
Meanwhile, for presidential and vice-presidential candidates up to candidates for regional heads and deputy regional heads, it is proposed that they come from the party cadre system and need to be cadres for a certain period of time.