Novi Setu, Jakarta – Leaders of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) insist that commissioner Busyro Muqoddas does not need to be replaced, saying that the committee the government has appointed to select candidates will be wasting money.

The anti-graft body says it sent an official letter to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono about the matter, but to no avail.

"The KPK has sent a letter two months ago... but there has been no reply until now. And then suddenly, there's this selection committee," KPK deputy chairman Bambang Widjojanto said on Tuesday. "We've explained that the remaining team is ready and able to lead the KPK for the next year, after Busyro leaves."

The remaining four KPK leaders – one chairman and three deputies – would have no problems running the organization, Bambang said, adding that Busyro's replacement would only serve for one year.

Yudhoyono formed a selection committee to find Busyro's replacement last month. The four-year tenure of Busyro, who was appointed in 2010 to replace Antasari Azhar, will end in December. The other four KPK leaders – chairman Abraham Samad and deputies Bambang, Zulkarnain, and Adnan Pandu Pradja – were appointed in 2011 and still have one year to serve.

Bambang said it would make more sense if the House of Representatives would simply appoint a candidate who passed the previous commissioner selection process.

"If it's only for a year, just take the candidate who the House ranked beneath Zulkarnain," Bambang said. "It would be more efficient."

Zulkarnain agreed. "In 10 months' time there will be another selection committee for the 2015-19 period. Selecting one person will require the same amount of effort and cost as selecting five people," he said on Tuesday.

Adnan said another option was to extend Busyro's tenure. "Ideally, Busyro's tenure should be prolonged, to cut costs," the deputy chairman said, stressing the need to save money where possible. "We haven't reached the fiscal target and government agencies and ministries' budgets are being cut."

Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/selecting-new-deputy-commissioner-waste-money-kpk-insists/