Test fails to reveal KPK candidates' track records

Test fails to reveal KPK candidates' track records

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The final test to select five members of the Corruption
Eradication Commission (KPK) executive body was off to a
disappointing start on Thursday as it failed to dig into the
candidates' track records.

After the interview of eight candidates, observers, who
watched the entire question and answer session which lasted eight
hours, said the 13 members of the KPK selection committee wasted
the chance to recruit clean and reputable anticorruption
officials.

One of the panel members, Sukamto, a high ranking official
with the National Police, was absent as he is accompanying
National Police Chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar on a visit to Beijing.

The selection committee featured big names in law such as
Supreme Court Criminal Law Director Moegihardjo, Deputy Attorney
General for Intelligence Basrief Arif, Ministry of Justice
legislation director Abdulgani Abdullah, top lawyer Todung Mulya
Lubis, and law professors Indriyanto Seno Adji, Andi Hamzah,
Loebby Loeqman, Romli Atmasasmita and Harkristuti Harkrisnowo.

However, most of them focused their questions on normative
aspects, such as commitment, leadership, managerial skills and
strategies to combat corruption.

Teten Masduki, who leads Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW),
criticized the course of the test.

"The selection team were supposed to go for something
tangible, in particular the candidates' track records or
achievements in combating corruption," he told reporters.

Asep Rahmat Fajar of the Coalition of Judiciary Observers
concurred, saying that the interviewers had failed to uncover the
candidates track records.

"They did not raise follow-up questions. They were not
grilling the candidates," he said.

During the interview of Insp. Gen. (ret) Momo Kelana, a police
officer turned member of the Public Servants Wealth Report Audit
Commission (KPKPN), Harkristuti appeared content with his
clarification over a report that accused him of giving false
report of his wealth.

According to the report, Harkristuti said, Momo has property
and other wealth worth Rp 2.3 billion but he only cited Rp 600
million.

Harkristuti was silent when Momo answered that he had
submitted his wealth report to KPKPN and that he was preparing a
new one.

Other candidates undergoing the test were prosecutor M. Yamin
and F.X. Herry Sumanta, lawyer-cum-activist Iskandar Sonhadji,
KPKPN member Chairul Imam and state auditor S. Rasul.

Both Teten and Asep said only two or three of the candidates
grilled on Thursday were eligible to sit in the KPK executive
body.

Romli, who heads the selection committee, said he was content
with the course of the test.

Eight more candidates are expected to be interviewed on
Friday.

The selection committee will make a shortlist of 10 candidates
and submit them to the President on Saturday for approval.

The President will pass on the names to the House of
Representatives, who will announce the final five members of KPK
executive body on Dec. 12.

There were over 100 people registered with the selection
committee, which began the selection process in October.
Candidates have undergone administrative tests, written an essay
on their vision and mission and taken a psychological test to
qualify for the final test.