ICW Suddenly Asked PDIP To Remove Bambang Pacul From The Position Of Chairman Of Commission III Of The DPR RI, What's Up?

JAKARTA - Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) has urged PDI-P General Chair Megawati Soekarnoputri to remove Bambang Wuryanto, known as Bambang Pacul, from his position as Chair of Commission III of the Indonesian House of Representatives.

This pressure arose because of Bambang's statement regarding the Draft Law (RUU) on the Limitation of Currency Transactions. Some time ago, the PDIP politician said that this bill could hinder politicians' efforts to gain votes during the general election (election).

"ICW urges the PDIP General Chair to immediately replace Bambang Wuryanto as Chairman of Commission III and remove him as a member of the DPR RI," said ICW's Political Corruption Division Coordinator, Egi Primayogha in a written statement quoted on Tuesday, April 12.

According to Egi, Bambang Pacul's statement is incorrect because the Bill on Limiting Currency Transactions is important to prevent corrupt practices in the country.

Moreover, based on data from the KPK from 2004 to 2021 out of a total of 1,231 cases handled, 791 of them were bribery practices using a cash transaction approach.

"This bill is intended to minimize corruption and prevent money laundering. So far, corrupt actors have always tried to hide criminal transactions by using a cash transaction approach," he said.

"Therefore, with the presence of the Bill on Limiting Currency Transactions, the practice of bribing public officials with other parties will not be easy to do," added Egi.

Apart from that, what Bambang said can also be interpreted as a justification for the practice of money politics. In fact, these kinds of methods lead to high election costs, so that those who come forward and are elected carry out presumptuous practices.

So as a member of the legislature, Egi considered, Bambang should fight corruption in the election process in two ways. "First, to toughen the sanctions for the practice of money politics, and improve the system for handling the practice of money politics so that intellectuals can be prosecuted, and not stop at the players in the field," he said.

"Second, by improving the election funding accountability system, including improving the audit quality of campaign finance reports," said Egi.

With this condition, not only urging PDIP to remove Bambang, ICW also urged the government and legislators to discuss the Bill on Limiting Currency Transactions and a number of other regulations that strengthen efforts to eradicate corruption.

Because, so far, legislators seem anti-corruption. Moreover, a number of anti-corruption regulations are often blocked, such as the Bill on Confiscation of Assets and the Revision of the Anti-Corruption Law.

"Bambang Wuryanto's statement also illustrates the attitude of the legislators who from the start were anti-corruption strengthening," said Egi.

The chairman of Commission III of the House of Representatives, Bambang Wuryanto or Bambang Pacul, revealed the reason for the stalled discussion of the Bill on Restrictions on Currency Transactions. This was conveyed during the Commission III hearing meeting (RDP) with the ranks of the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) on Tuesday, April 5.

"Now you ask to be limited in number of transactions. In today's field, what is called a competition to find votes, use all of this (money, ed). I openly say this in the field. You ask for this, tomorrow I will buy groceries," said Bambang at the time.

In addition, he said that members of the House of Representatives need money, such as buying basic necessities to garner votes from the people. The fee requires currency or cash.

If PPATK then plans to limit it, Bambang ensures that the DPR will not follow up on the discourse.

"The House of Representatives almost certainly objected because this made our lives difficult. We can tell the truth, Sir, money politics is being used, here's an account, we'll open an account, we'll send it, you're dead. So, don't look at this from your side, but look at today's overview, what happened today, Don't be in a hurry," said Bambang to the Chairman of the PPATK who was present at the meeting.

"You have to explain this. I make sure that something like this will be difficult for the DPR. It's already included in the National Legislation Program, but the Prolegnas will be placed under it," added Bambang.