KPK Leader Apologizes To Employees Because Of The OTT Basarnas Polemic

Deputy Chairperson Of The KPK Alexander Marwata/ANTARA/

JAKARTA - The head of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) apologized to his employees due to the polemic of the appointment of the Head of the National SAR Agency (Basarnas) Marshal Henri Alfiandi and Koorsmin Kabasarnas Lt. Col. Afri Budi Cahyanto as suspects.

The apology was conveyed in an internal forum attended by hundreds of employees from the deputy for prosecution and execution.

"We apologize to the employees if the handling of the Basarnas case then caused a commotion within the KPK," said KPK Deputy Chair Alexander Marwata to reporters at the KPK's Merah Putih building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, Monday, July 31.

Alexander emphasized that none of his employees were wrong in handling the alleged bribery at Basarnas. He also ensured that the KPK leadership would not resign from its position.

"We also make sure to our fellow employees that the leadership will be more compact and we will not resign until the end of our position according to the law," he said.

Previously, the deputy employee for prosecution and execution of the KPK demanded the leadership apologize and resign from his position. This demand was submitted in response to the polemic of the National SAR Agency (Basarnas) hand arrest operation (OTT).

Based on the electronic mail that was spread, the employees regretted the statement by the Deputy Chairperson of the KPK Johanis Tanak on Friday, July 28 after meeting with the TNI Puspom group.

The meeting took place after the polemic of the appointment of the Head of Basarnas Marshal Henri Alfiandi and the Coordinator of the Kabasarnas Administration Lt. Col. Afri B. C. as suspects for accepting bribes for the procurement of equipment.

"We, as grass root within the KPK's crackdown, are very concerned about the statement by one of the KPK leaders who seems to blame the officers or the field team for their hard work that has struggled to sacrifice their own safety, time, energy, and thoughts," the letter said on Saturday, July 29.

Not getting there, they questioned Johanis' reason for calling investigators and investigators a mistake.

"Isn't the determination of the suspect also going through a long process and an expos mechanism for the case attended by the leadership and a decision applies that adheres to the principle of collegial collectiveity?"

"Why are we working with all our efforts and safety at stake but we are also the ones to blame?" wrote the employee in this letter.

In this case, Henri was named a suspect in the aftermath of a hand arrest operation (OTT) in Cilangkap, Jakarta and Jatisampurna, Bekasi on Tuesday, July 24. He is suspected of reaping a fee or so-called command fund of up to Rp. 88.3 billion. The money was pocketed by private parties who wanted to work on projects at his institution from 2021-2023 through Koorsmin Kabasarnas Afri Budi Cahyanto.