Markus Junianto Sihaloho & Rizky Amelia – Politicians and analysts warned on Thursday that the outcome of an internal inquiry by the Corruption Eradication Commission could set a bad precedent for the much-respected body.
An ad-hoc ethics committee has been investigating eight high-ranking officials from the commission, known as the KPK. The probe followed allegations by graft suspect Muhammad Nazaruddin of bribe-taking and improper conduct at the KPK.
The committee ruled on Wednesday that only Ade Rahardja, the KPK's former deputy for prosecution, and secretary general Bambang Sapto had committed "minor violations" of the body's code of conduct. It cleared all others of wrongdoing, despite officials admitting they had met with political party officials for matters not related to graft investigations.
Hendardi, chairman of the Setara Institute for Peace and Democracy, said he was disappointed by the committee's soft stance toward the antigraft officials.
"From the beginning, the ethics committee had a major responsibility to restore public trust in the KPK, but it has only fueled public suspicion further that the ethics committee was set up for show and to save KPK leaders," he said.
Nazaruddin, a former treasurer of the ruling Democratic Party, is accused of bid-rigging in a contract to build an athletes' village for next month's Southeast Asian Games.
Nono Anwar Makarim, a member of the ethics committee, said to prevent similar allegations from rocking the KPK in the future, the committee had advised the body to set up a team tasked with responding quickly to all claims made against it, even minor ones.
Pramono Anung, a deputy speaker at the House of Representatives from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), said the inquiry had tarnished the KPK's credibility.
"Hopefully this case will serve as a valuable lesson for whoever leads the KPK in the future," he said. "The new KPK leaders must not follow in the footsteps of the current leaders."
The House and the KPK have not always been on good terms, with a number of former and current lawmakers being prosecuted by the antigraft agency. There has also been controversy over the KPK's questioning of leaders of the House Budget Committee.
Another House deputy speaker, Anis Matta, from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), said the KPK needed major reform. "It is time we evaluate the KPK as a whole. This is not to say we don't want them to stop fighting corruption, but improve the way they work," he said.
The PKS was criticized after party member Fahri Hamzah called for the KPK's disbandment. Activists and analysts called Fahri's statement a step back in the fight against graft.
"Don't take an anti-criticism stance. We should get rid of such attitudes," Anis said, adding that the PKS supported Fahri's controversial remark.