Ilham Rian Pratama, Jakarta – Suspended Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) senior investigator Novel Baswedan says that the KPK leadership should be ashamed over the Ombudsman's findings which cited maladministration in the entire process of administering the nationalism or civics knowledge tests (TWK) for KPK employees to become civil servants.
As has been reported, the KPK has expressed its objections to taking the corrective measures conveyed by the Ombudsman in relation to maladministration of the TWK.
"The Ombudsman's findings are serious, and show that the TWK process was a serious scandal in the effort to eradicate corruption. The KPK leadership should be ashamed because of the facts which were found, or at least respond with an apology", said Baswedan in a press release on Thursday August 5.
However, continued the investigator who is now non-active, the KPK has instead rejected the corrective measures suggested by the Ombudsman. In Baswedan's view the anti-graft agency's attitude is absolutely extraordinary.
"This is extraordinary, this is embarrassing, and shows what should not be done by law enforcement officials. Because the key principle which should be held to by law enforcement officials is to obey the law and be honest. Unfortunately the KPK leadership cannot be considered an example of this", said Baswedan.
Earlier, KPK Deputy Chairperson Nurul Ghufron called on the Ombudsman not to interfere in the internal affairs of the anti-corruption agency. He said that transferring the status of KPK employees through the TWK is an internal KPK issue.
"We express our objections to following up on the corrective measures which were suggested by the Indonesian Ombudsman to the KPK", said Ghufron at the KPK's red-and-white building in South Jakarta on Thursday.
He also reminded the Ombudsman that the KPK does not bow down to any other institution. Ghufron said that the KPK is not under the authority of any other institution and cannot be interfered with by any authority.
Notes
The so-call civics or nationalism test (TWK) is part of the administrative process of transforming all KPK employees into civil servants as mandated by the 2019 revisions to the KPK law. According to KPK Chairperson Firli Bahuri, the test aimed to ensure employees' allegiance to state ideology Pancasila, the 1945 Constitution and the legitimate government, and to ensure that no KPK employees belong to any government banned organisations. It is widely believed that the test was used by the KPK leadership to rid itself of highly respected employees such as Baswedan who have been most outspoken over the weakening of the KPK and who oppose Bahuri's leadership. Last month Baswedan and other suspended KPK employees submitted a complaint with the Ombudsman who subsequently found serious irregularities in the administration of the TWK.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "KPK Enggan Turuti Ombudsman, Novel Baswedan: Luar Biasa, Ini Memalukan".]