KPK to hire new members
KPK to hire new members
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) will hire some 156
people this year to speed up the investigation of a growing
backlog of corruption cases.
"More than 6,000 graft cases have been reported to the KPK and
we cannot handle the increasing workload because we do not have
the personnel," KPK chairman Taufiqurrahman Ruki was quoted by
Antara as saying on Friday.
He feared the KPK's credibility would be harmed if it was
unable quickly to resolve the corruption cases.
Taufiqurrahman said the KPK would hire a total of 500 new
personnel, but this year would only hire 156, including
investigators. The KPK currently has 150 personnel, including 50
investigators and prosecutors.
According to earlier reports, KPK officials receive a basic
salary of between Rp 700,000 (US$72) and Rp 42 million a month,
much higher than the salaries of civil servants. They also
receive housing, health and transportation allowances.
Anyone interested in joining the KPK must submit a completed
application and a curriculum vitae to Jakarta-based human
resources consultancy firm LPPM, or via e-mail at
rekrutmen@lppm.ac.id by July 31 at the latest.
Taufiqurrahman said the use of an independent consultancy
firm would help avoid collusion, nepotism and corruption in the
hiring process.
He said personnel from the police and prosecutors' offices
could apply to the KPK with the approval of their superiors.
The KPK will provide a training program for all new hires.
The commission was set up in 2002 at a time when the police
and the Attorney General's Office were coming under fire for
their failure to deal with corruption.
According to Law No. 30/2002 on the KPK, the commission has
the authority to investigate and prosecute corruption cases
involving members of legal institutions, state officials and
anyone involved in corruption through legal institution members
or state officials. The commission also can investigate graft
cases that attract public attention or that cause state losses of
at least Rp 1 billion.
In conducting its investigations and prosecutions, the KPK has
the authority to tap phones; order travel bans; obtain
information from banks and other financial institutions about the
finances of suspects or defendants; order banks and other
financial institutions to freeze the accounts of suspects,
defendants or other relevant parties allegedly containing funds
derived from corruption; suspend financial transactions, trade
transactions or other agreements; suspend permits and concessions
owned by suspects or defendants due to preliminary evidence of
corruption; and instruct the police and other relevant
institutions to arrest, detain, raid and seize evidence in
corruption cases.
The most high-profile graft case involving the KPK was that of
suspended Aceh governor Abdullah Puteh, who was sentenced to 10
years in jail for corruption in the purchase of a helicopter for
the provincial administration.
The commission is currently investigating alleged corruption
at the General Elections Commission (KPU), which could eventually
drag down top KPU officials.