Two KPK Deputies' Nameplates Removed from Police Press Conference, Here's the Explanation

The Corruption Eradication Commission’s (KPK) Deputy for Enforcement and Execution, Asep Guntur Rahayu, has revealed the reason why two KPK deputies did not speak at a press conference on the disclosure of a corruption and money laundering case at Polda Metro Jaya on Friday evening. Ahead of the press conference at Polda Metro Jaya, two nameplates for KPK officials were placed on the table: Deputy for Coordination and Supervision Ely Kusumastuti and Deputy for Enforcement Asep Guntur Rahayu. However, as the press conference was about to begin, the two nameplates were removed and the officials did not participate in the event.

Asep stated that his presence alongside Deputy for Coordination and Supervision Ely Kusumastuti was in response to an official invitation from the police. “On Friday morning, the KPK received an official invitation from the Directorate of Criminal Investigation of Polda Metro Jaya addressed to the leadership, concerning the KPK’s authority for coordination and supervision in cases handled by other law enforcement agencies, in accordance with Article 6 and Article 10 A of Law Number 19 of 2019,” he said during a press conference on a separate arrest operation in Jakarta on Saturday.

“Following up on the letter, the leadership assigned two deputies, one from Coordination and Supervision as it falls under their purview, and myself from Enforcement and Execution. We attended the invitation based on the assignment letter from the leadership, responding to the invitation. We were present there,” Asep explained. He admitted that he and Ely held discussions with police investigators regarding the coordination and supervision of a case. Asep noted there are specific criteria for how a case can be taken over.

“We cannot simply make assumptions. We must respect all efforts made by law enforcement agencies in handling corruption cases, whether by the Police’s Corruption Eradication Corps with the Polda Metro Jaya Special Criminal Investigation Directorate, or by the Attorney General’s Office later, because their case handling involves two separate institutions, unlike the KPK which operates under one roof where investigators and prosecutors are in the same institution,” Asep said. “We certainly view and believe that both the police and the prosecutor’s office will carry out their duties professionally, so the implementation will be good and smooth. This is still the initial stage, so we only discussed matters at that stage,” he added.

Following the discussion, an agreement was reached that an explanation from the KPK was not necessary during the Friday evening press conference. This is why the KPK officials’ nameplates were removed before the press conference began. “After the discussion, it turned out that perhaps our explanation was not needed to be delivered through the press conference; it was sufficient for the investigators there to explain. So, during the press conference, we did not need to provide an explanation, it was enough for the investigators to do so. That is why the nameplates were there at the beginning and then removed,” Asep stated.