Activists wary of politics in KPTKP selection
Activists wary of politics in KPTKP selection
Zakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Activists and observers welcome the inclusion of individuals with a high level of personal integrity on the list of candidates vying for posts in the Corruption Eradication Committee (KPTPK), but are wary of political intervention in the election process.
Anticorruption activist Emmy Hafild from Transparency International Indonesia (TII) said on Tuesday that she was pleased with the inclusion of several people known for their track records in fighting corruption.
"However, we must make sure that these candidates will not be expelled because of political intervention," she told The Jakarta Post.
A team in charge of screening applicants vying for posts in the Corruption Eradication Commission announced on Sunday that 223 of 513 candidates had passed the administrative screening and would advance to the next stage, undergoing selection tests and public scrutiny.
Those who passed the first stage include Transparency International Indonesia (TII) chairman Erry Riyana Hardjapamekas, Partnership for Governance Reform activist Bambang Widjojanto, former justice minister Marsilam Simanjuntak, lawyer Indra Sahnun Lubis and former police officer Insp. Gen. (ret) Momo Kelana.
The selection committee will select 10 candidates for seats on the KPTPK executive board after they have first been screened for their credibility, integrity and track records in fighting corruption.
The team must submit the names of the 10 candidates by Dec. 5 to President Megawati Soekarnoputri, who will then short-list five for approval by the House of Representatives. 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.
The commission is expected to begin working on Dec. 27.
Emmy said she was concerned that President Megawati Soekarnoputri would reject the screened candidates, and if she did not, the House of Representatives might have some ulterior, political motives.
"Even during the ongoing process we should be careful, because there are many bureaucrats in the selection team," she said.
Emmy said political intervention was evident in the process of establishing the National Commission for Human Rights (Komnas HAM), anti-money laundering watchdog Financial Transaction and Report Analysis Center (PPATK) and the Public Servant's Wealth Audit Commission (KPKPN).
"That's why this time we will ensure the transparency of the screening process, and the press has the biggest role in monitoring this," Emmy said.
Meanwhile, Partnership for Governance Reform executive director H.S. Dillon said it was hard to determine who would advance to the top ten at the moment, because the candidates still had to pass at least two screening stages based on their vision and mission in eradicating corruption and their in-depth interviews with the commission.
Dillon said his organization, which has been a technical consultant to the screening committee, supported the process in that it was a first step in promoting good governance.
"If there was any indication of forcing any vested interests, the partnership will withdraw from the entire process," he said, and that he would not put the partnership's integrity at stake.
Meanwhile, deputy secretary-general Haedar Nashir of Muhammadiyah, which had initiated a national anticorruption movement with the country's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama, said he was optimistic about the screening process so far.
"We have hope," he said, but added that even if the best people headed the commission, its effectiveness would still depend on the performance of law enforcement and the judiciary.
"If these institutions are not responsive, the commission would hit a brick wall."
Haedar said the effectiveness of the anticorruption effort would be evaluated in its ability and will in eradicating corruption in the bureaucracy, which is notorious as the den of corrupters.