Jakarta – The committee to select the new leader of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) vowed Thursday to remain impartial amid calls from civil groups to discount candidates from the police and the Attorney General's Office.
Todung Mulya Lubis, a member of the selection committee, said the committee was looking for a credible and audacious candidate capable of passing all required assessments.
"It is irrelevant to disqualify some of the current candidates just because their backgrounds were or are still related to the National Police or the AGO," he told The Jakarta Post.
This week, activists from Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) and the Indonesian Muslim Students Association demanded the committee not pass Insp. Gen. (ret) Chairul Rasyid from the National Police nor prosecutor Sutan Bagindo Fachmi.
The activists reasoned the AGO and the National Police have thus far failed to prove to the public they are fit and credible when dealing with corruption cases.
The two institutions have been mired by graft scandals. They were also alleged to have attempted to undermine the KPK last year when they controversially charged the commission's deputy chairmen, Bibit Samad Rianto and Chandra M. Hamzah with abuse of power and extortion.
The Indonesian Court Monitoring Society and ICW is now reviewing the track records of Chairul, Sutan and five other nominees: Judicial Commission head, Busyro Muqoddas; former Constitutional Court chief justice Jimly Asshiddiqie; former Bali legislator, I Wayan Sudirta; and leading international lawyer, Melli Darsa.
ICW researcher Febridiansyah told the Post the watchdog had confirmed its stance on the refusal of "ineligible nominees" remained unchanged. He said approving candidates from such backgrounds would defeat the purpose of the KPK.
Febridiansyah added that the 2002 KPK Law had appointed the antigraft commission to supplant the AGO and the National Police, which had both been deemed to have failed at eliminating corruption.
"The idea of having people from such state institutions to preside over the antigraft commission is absurd," he said, adding ICW had encouraged the Selection Committee to not pass the two controversial candidates.
Febridiansyah said if Chairul and Sutan were to pass the final round of selection, ICW would rally public opinion against the candidates.
Furthermore, commenting on the progress of the review of candidates' track records, Febridiansyah said ICW was still in the processes of collecting necessary materials and information related to the candidates' bank accounts and transaction reports.
Febridiansyah indicated that one candidate was allegedly involved in receiving gratuities in the form of free plane tickets for haj in 2000.
"[The gratuities] were related to alleged corruption involving the Religious Affairs Ministry in 2000, the case of which was processed by Tipikor [an ad-lib corruption court]," he said.
Febridiansyah added the ICW had to finish the track-records review by Aug. 14, as mandated by the Selection Committee. House Speaker Marzuki Alie said the House hoped the committee would sort out the best candidates for the new KPK chairman post.
"We shouldn't see nominees based on their connections to certain state institutions," Marzuki said. (tsy)