KPK aspirants to undergo wealth checks, House says
KPK aspirants to undergo wealth checks, House says
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post , Jakarta
Despite previously stating otherwise, the House of
Representatives (DPR) has decided to conduct a fresh round of
screening for candidates for the Corruption Eradication
Commission (KPK).
A. Teras Narang, chairman of House Commission II for legal and
home affairs, said on Tuesday that the House was expected to
evaluate the candidates' capability and integrity next week.
"We expect to interview the candidates, review their wealth
reports and visit their residences," Teras Narang announced on
the sidelines of a hearing of the Constitutional Commission on
Tuesday.
President Megawati submitted to the House the names of 10
candidates for the planned KPK, an anticorruption body in charge
of investigating and prosecuting suspected corrupters.
The 10 candidates are prosecutors M. Yamin, Chairul Imam and
T.H. Panggabean, lawyer-cum-activist Iskandar Sonhadji, former
state-owned company PT Timah director Erry Riyana Hardjapamekas,
former attorney general Marsillam Simanjuntak, former police
officers Momo Kelana and Taufikurrahman Ruki as well as state
auditors Syarifudin Rasul and Amien Sunaryadi.
The House will select five of the 10 to sit on the commission
and send the names back to the President for approval. The
President, however, is not allowed to change the names.
According to Teras Narang, legislators are expected to
determine the accuracy of the candidates' wealth reports.
He also said that legislators would use information, which had
been used by the KPK selection committee, to screen the
candidates.
Teras Narang said earlier that the legislators would conduct
only simple interviews with the candidates as they had all been
screened by the selection committee.
However Romli Atmasasmita, who chaired the committee, said the
information could not be shared as it was contained in state
documents.
Observers have repeatedly voiced concern that legislators
would not be able to be independent in selecting the candidates
due to political interests.
Many alleged high-profile corruptors are members of or
affiliated to political parties. Recently, the Attorney General's
Office named 180 councillors from across the country as suspects
in corruption cases.
Teras could not guarantee that legislators would be able to
put aside their political interests in the selection process.
"I can only advise them to put aside their interests for a
bigger one, which is eradicating corruption. All factions in the
House have agreed on the KPK's establishment. This means they
agree with the country's expectation of phasing out corruption,"
he said.
Teras said legislators would discuss screening procedures on
Wednesday. He expects it to be finished on Dec. 15 or Dec. 16.
Each legislator will select five names among the 10
candidates, with the first five candidates becoming KPK
executives.
According to Law No. 30/2001 on the Corruption Eradication
Commission, the KPK executive board must be inaugurated by Dec.
27.
The selection of 10 candidates by the selection committee has
been widely criticized because the committee declined to publish
the outcome of the screening.
Romli admitted that activist Bambang Widjoyanto and prosecutor
Juni S. had passed screening but had been withdrawn from the list
and replaced with Momo and Amien for undisclosed reasons.
KPK is said to be a "superbody" for its authority to
investigate corruption cases and prosecute alleged corrupters,
powers that are currently the privilege of the police and
prosecutors.
KPK, whose establishment has been postponed several times
since 1999, will also have the power to take over investigations
into corruption cases by police and prosecutors.
Many expect the KPK to boost the country's drive against
rampant corruption, which worsens with each passing year.