House to replace KPU members amid graft probe
Tony Hotland, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Responding to louder calls from the public and antigraft organizations, the House of Representatives plans to replace members of the General Elections Commission (KPU), who are being investigated for allegedly embezzling billions.
In his opening remarks as the House resumed session on Monday after a five-week recess, Speaker Agung Laksono said the legislature had included the planned replacement of KPU members as part of its supervising function during the next 20 weeks.
"During this House's fourth session, there will be nominations and elections of public officials, which is the nomination of Bank Indonesia deputy governors and the replacement of KPU members," he said.
House deputy speaker Zaenal Ma'arif admitted that the plan to replace the KPU members came in the wake of intensive demands by non-governmental and other civil organizations for the House to do so.
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has revealed, over the past several weeks, strong indications of widespread corruption at the KPU.
"Yes, the replacement is planned because of demands from many people for the House to immediately replace the KPU members. But we'll leave the details to the House Commission II (overseeing home affairs), including whether or not all of the members will be replaced," Zaenal said.
Commission II deputy Ida Fauziyah said her commission had not yet discussed the plan, pending the results of its internal investigation.
Eleven KPU members were elected through screening by the House for a four-year tenure in 2001. Two of them, lecturers Imam Prasodjo and Muji Sutrisno, resigned in 2003 due to conflicts of interest, while Hamid Awaluddin was appointed justice minister last year.
The KPU came under fire after one of its key members, Mulyana W. Kusumah, was caught by KPK investigators, while allegedly trying to bribe an auditor from the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) last month in an apparent attempt to influence audit results.
Things worsened after an audit report by the BPK indicated widespread corruption in the procurement materials for last year's legislative election.
Agung Laksono said Commission II has been tasked to review the BPK report and was given two weeks to submit its own report.
Commission II chairman Ferry Mursyidan Baldan said his side would start its task by summoning KPU members who had promised to submit a clarification report to the House regarding the BPK findings some time this week.
A dissenting opinion came from members of Commission III on legal affairs, who said there was no need for another probe by the House.
"Our commission is of the opinion that the BPK report should be directly filed with the KPK to speed up the legal process," said Commission III chairman Agustin Teras Narang.
He said the BPK report was already comprehensive and adequate to help the KPK accelerate its investigation, which many have deemed to be sluggish.
The KPK has said it was yet to receive the BPK report because only the House had the authority to share BPK audit reports with other state institutions.
Meanwhile, KPK chief Taufiequrrahman Ruki said his office had named a new suspect in the bribery case apart from Mulyana Kusumah and acting KPU secretary-general Sussongko Suhardjo.
However, Ruki declined to identify the third suspect.
The KPK questioned on Monday three more KPU officials -- financial division head Heri Hermawan, deputy Elpison Anwar and secretary Susilo Hadi.