Yustinus Paat & Novy Lumanauw, Jakarta – Activists have called for transparency and public scrutiny to play a part in the selection process of members of a committee responsible for the appointment of new leaders to Indonesia's anti-graft body.
The president's office said on Wednesday it was in the final stages of appointing members for the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) selection team, with State Secretary Patikno saying it may consist of between seven and nine people.
He added names had been recommended to fill the positions by government officials, political parties and members of the public, and were under consideration.
"There are a lot of inputs concerning track records of each of the candidates. We will study them one by one," Pratikno said.
A final decision of who will make up the selection team is expected to by made by the end of the week. A list of a dozen potential members has been circulating in the media.
The selection process for new leaders is estimated to last for around six months, thus the current forming of the selection team.
Among the 12 names circulating as candidates are former KPK deputy chiefs Erry Riyana Hardjapamekas and Tumpak Hatorangan Panggabean, former KPK adviser Abdullah Hehamahua, former Constitutional Court chief justice Jimly Asshiddiqie and former National Police deputy chief Gen. (ret.). Oegroseno.
The seven other candidates are noted academics and law experts, including law professors Hikmahanto Juwana, Saldi Isra and Romli Atmasasmita; constitutional law experts Refly Harun and Margarito Kamis; criminologist Chairul Huda; and sociologist Imam Prasodjo.
Indonesia Corruption Watch researcher Emerson Yuntho said three people should not be on the list due to their questionable track records, but stopped short of naming them.
He called on President Joko Widodo to open the selection process to the public, as well as engaging the KPK itself in screening the candidates' backgrounds.
"KPK's input regarding track records of candidates of selection team member must be seen as the KPK's preventive measures against attempts to weaken and even dissolve the institution," Emerson said.
"We remind the president to be careful in selecting members of the KPK selection team because many people have a stake in trying to protect corruptors. The president, therefore, must listen to the public's aspirations and involve the KPK in the selection process," he added.
A researcher with the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), Bahrain, told the president not to bow to suggestions or demands from people in his inner circle.
Echoing Emerson, Bahrain said: "Many people have an interest in the selection team for candidates of KPK leaders. If the team consists of members who have conflicting interests, be it with corruptors or political parties, the KPK will face a dangerous threat."
Most candidates are former members of the Independent Consultative Team, which was set up by President Joko Widodo in January to address the then growing conflict between KPK and the police, following the anti-graft body's naming of National Police chief candidate Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan as a bribery suspect.
In what has been widely seen as retaliatory attacks against the KPK, police have named two KPK leaders since – chief Abraham Samad and one of his deputies, Bambang Widjojanto – as suspects in separate historical cases, leading to the suspension of both.
Two interim KPK leaders, Taufiequrachman Ruki and Johan Budi, were then appointed to fill in the vacant leadership posts – although the KPK remains short of one leader at the moment, having only four leaders in total out of five mandated by the law.
The fifth leadership post has been left vacant since then-KPK deputy chief Busyro Muqoddas, who had been appointed to his post earlier than the others, saw his four-year term end in December last year. Meanwhile, the terms of the four other leaders, sworn in during 2011, are due to end in December this year.