Fana F.S. Putra, Novianti Setuningsih & Hotman Siregar, Jakarta – Indonesia's national antigraft agency lost one of its deputy chairmen on Tuesday, after the House of Representatives failed to name a successor due to a prolonged internal rift inside the legislature.
A nonpartisan ad hoc selection committee (pansel) impaneled under former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono earlier recommended two options for the House: reelect outgoing deputy Busyro Muqoddas for another five-year term, or appoint another candidate, the relatively unknown Roby Arya Brata.
But a split in the legislature has stopped the House from deliberating the matter. Busyro's first term expired on Tuesday, leaving a void in the well-reputed law enforcement organization.
Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman Abraham Samad said the agency can still perform its function with its three current deputies: Adnan Pandu Praja, Bambang Widjojanto and Zulkarnain. Their terms will end in December next year. "Even with two [commissioners] we can [still operate]," Abraham said.
The KPK, he said, can still make key decisions including on high-profile cases, like those involving senior officials and politicians as well as costing the state huge losses. "We always make our decisions through consensus and based on evidence. So, no problem," he said of the vacancy.
"The KPK is now concentrating on unraveling major cases, considering that we only have a year left before our terms ended," Abraham said.
Among the cases Abraham pledged to resolve when he first took office in 2011 was suspected corruption involving the Rp 6.8 trillion ($527 billion) government bailout of Bank Century in 2008. After an extended period of government custodianship, and rebranded as Bank Mutiara, the troubled lender was recently sold to Japan's J Trust.
Abraham has also vowed to investigate corruption surrounding the absolution of debts for others who received government bailouts during the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997-1998.
"We are still continuously investigating these cases and expanding [the probe] further. So be patient," he said. As for the Bank Century case, Abraham said the KPK is still waiting for the resolution of appeals by the lone defendant in the case, former Bank Indonesia deputy Budi Mulya, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison by the Corruption Court in July.
Last May, the same court also grilled former Vice President Boediono, a Bank Indonesia governor at the time of the bailout, over his role in the case, but the KPK said earlier this month that he has not yet been named a suspect.
"If [the Supreme Court] issues a legally binding ruling, then we can follow up by [investigating] those mentioned at [Budi Mulya's] ruling," he said.
The KPK plans to consult documents surrounding the absolution of the debts by hundreds of creditors who have mostly fled the country. The KPK also plans to question former members of a government task force tasked with collecting the debts.
Asked if the KPK would name further suspects in the case, Abraham said: "We can't be sure, because we have to ask the task force first.
"What I can state is that we have no problem summoning Megawati," he said referring to Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri, who was president at the time.
"You can follow the investigation. We are transparent. We have nothing to hide. No [case] will be frozen. No one who should be questioned left unquestioned."
Legal expert Abdul Fickar Hadjar from Jakarta's Trisakti University said Abraham must increase the KPK's manpower before his term ends, since the KPK has a serious backlog of pending cases even with the current number of prosecutors and investigators.
"The KPK has the authority to increase the number of its investigators. If they are short-staffed they can ask [for more investigators] from the police or recruit on its own," he said. "The House must support plans to add more tooth to the KPK."
The antigraft body earlier announced plans to start opening field offices across the archipelago next year in order to improve its supervision of regional governments.
KPK deputy chairman Bambang said on Sunday evening that the antigraft body was considering opening one branch office in Sumatra next year, as part of its plan to open at least five field offices throughout Indonesia in the next ten years.
Bambang said the field office would focus on preventing corruption in the local government. He also said the KPK would recruit local people to help them fight against corruption at the regional level.
Vice President Jusuf Kalla welcomed the plan, saying that the government would support the KPK by granting it one of the central government's many vacant buildings.