Syamsuddin Haris, Formerly Garang, Now Becomes The KPK Supervisory Board

JAKARTA - The inclusion of a researcher from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) Political Research Center (LIPI) Syamsuddin Haris as the Supervisory Board of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is deemed incompatible with his initial attitude who criticized Law Number 19 of 2019 concerning amendments to the KPK Law and was then questioned.

Trisakti University criminal law expert, Abdul Fickar Hadjar, said there was no problem with Haris' new position. However, he had offended the LIPI researcher because some time ago he often criticized the new KPK Law as well as the KPK Supervisory Board.

"If you look at the digital footprint, Pak Syamsudin is one of the people who disagrees with the new KPK Law. But later he has also filled in. It needs to be asked, what is the background of the change," said Fickar with a smile when he was met in the Wahid Hasyim area, Menteng. , Central Jakarta, Saturday, December 21.

Fickar's question, perhaps also graced the head of the public. This is because Haris is known to have often criticized the new KPK Law and the question of the supervisory board.

Not only criticism, the academician even suspected that there was an article regulating the existence of the KPK Supervisory Board as a systemic weakening step between the Jokowi government and the Indonesian Parliament.

This suspicion arose after Haris saw that the council had such great authority, namely to grant permits related to active prosecution by the KPK in the form of wiretaps, searches and confiscations.

He had conveyed this at a press conference for the LIPI civitas in rejecting the revision of the KPK Law at the LIPI Office, Jalan Gatot Subroto, South Jakarta, last Tuesday, September 10. At that time, Haris said the supervisory board was a real form of intervention.

"This supervisory board is a completely new beast and it is fully under the authority of the council. This is actually an intervention whose purpose is to paralyze the KPK," said Haris at the event.

It's just that the harshness finally disappeared, after Haris was contacted by the State Palace to attend and was appointed as one of the supervisory boards together with Tumpak Hatorangan Panggabean, Albertina Ho and Artidjo Alkostar on Friday, December 20.

Later, when it was clarified about his rejection of the supervisory board, Haris admitted that at that time he did not agree if this council was decided by a member of Commission III of the DPR RI as a partner of the KPK. Later, his attitude softened because this council turned out to be directly elected by Jokowi.

In addition, he even defended Jokowi by saying this supervisory board was a form of Jokowi's commitment to eradicating corruption.

"However, the president has repeatedly said that he is committed to eradicating corruption or enforcing a clean government. It seems that when the KPK Law was revised, it seemed he could not escape because all political parties supported the revision," said Haris at the State Palace, Central Jakarta, Friday, December 20. .

Meanwhile, when he was present at the KPK Building to attend the handover ceremony for the KPK leadership for the 2019-2023 period, Haris said he had confidence that this supervisory board was not entrusted by any party.

His interest in sitting in a position that he had criticized, also occurred because he heard other names who would take part in the position, such as Artidjo Alkostar, Tumpak Hatorangan Panggabean, Albertina Ho, and Harjono.

Haris believes that this name full of integrity can save and strengthen the KPK. "So that I conclude this can be an entry point to save the KPK, to strengthen the KPK. Not the other way around," said Syamsudin.

Hoped to resign as a researcher at LIPI

Regarding Haris' new position as the KPK Supervisory Board, LIPI researcher Sri Nuryanti believes Syamsuddin Haris will temporarily leave his position as a researcher at the scientific institution. He is sure that Haris will not have concurrent positions as researcher and board of supervisors.

"His position will not be concurrent, certainly not concurrent. Now his position will be Dewas," said Sri in Jakarta, Saturday, December 21.

Sri then compared Haris's position to himself when he was appointed as a member of the KPU. After taking office, he temporarily stopped as a researcher at LIPI and returned after his term ended. "This is what is likely to happen with Prof. Haris or his friends who help in the government," he said.

On that occasion, Sri also spoke up about her colleague's new position. He appreciated Haris' appointment as the KPK Supervisory Board. Moreover, all this time Haris has often spoken out about the issue of weakening the anti-graft institution.

So that with the entry of Haris into the position, it is hoped that there will be no more efforts to weaken the KPK. Moreover, the names of the supervisory board are also filled with a number of figures with integrity and independence.

"Because Dewasnya consists of people who are politically independent and have intellectual capabilities that are undeniable," he concluded.