Savero Aristia Wienanto, Jakarta – The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) revealed the reasoning behind former President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's nomination as finalist of the most corrupt public figure of 2024.

"OCCRP had no control over who was nominated, as suggestions came from people worldwide," said an official statement on the OCCRP website on Thursday, January 2, 2025.

Nominees were determined upon online support and some basis for inclusion, the statement read.

OCCRP admits that it has no evidence that Jokowi engaged in corruption for personal financial gain during his presidency, but civil society groups and experts said Jokowi's government significantly weakened Indonesia's anti-corruption agency, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

Additionally, the agency also underscored the criticism against Jokowi for undermining Indonesia's electoral and judicial institutions to benefit the political ambitions of his son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, who is now vice president under Prabowo Subianto.

"The judges appreciate the citizens' nominations, but in some cases, there wasn't enough direct evidence of significant corruption or a longstanding pattern of abuses," said OCCRP Publisher Drew Sullivan.

Sullivan believed there is a strong perception among citizens about corruption in their country. "This should serve as a warning to those nominated that the people are watching, and they care. We, too, will keep watching," he said.

Furthermore, the OCCRP emphasized that the final decision for the "Person of the Year" award was made by the judges and won by ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who was not among the most nominated people.

According to the OCCRP, Assad's role in destabilizing Syria and the region through an overt criminal network and significant human rights abuses, including mass killings and corruption, made him the top choice.

OCCRP also emphasized that the final selection was based on investigative research and the collective expertise of their network of organizations.

"This award highlights the systems and actors enabling corruption and organized crime, but it also serves as a reminder of the ongoing need to expose injustices," the OCCRP statement read.

Jokowi was recognized as a 'finalist' for the 2024 most corrupt figure along with four other world political leaders, such as Kenyan President William Ruto and Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/1959671/jokowis-most-corrupt-nomination-occrp-explains-reasonin