Once Called Firli Bahuri One Man Show, This Is The Profile And Career Journey Of The Chairperson Of The KPK While Nawawi Pomolango

YOGYAKARTA - Nawawi Pomolango was appointed as the Temporary Chair of the Corruption Eradication (KPK) replacing Firli Bahuri who was a suspect in an extortion case. Nawawi is an old figure or person in the KPK and has already held a high position. Profile of Nawawi Pomolango and his actions are interesting to watch.

The appointment of Nawawi Pomolango as the Temporary Chair of the KPK is contained in the presidential decree (Keppres) regarding the temporary dismissal of Firli Bahuri from the position of Chairman of the KPK. The Presidential Decree was signed by President Jokowi at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base, Jakarta, on Friday 24 November.

Nawawi Pomolango once appeared as a figure who dared to criticize Firli Bahuri. He reminded the KPK leadership not to work with the 'one man show' style. So what is Nawawi Pomolango's profile like and his career journey?

Nawawi Pomolango is one of the important people in the KPK. Prior to holding this new position, Nawawi had held the position of Deputy Chairperson of the KPK for the 2019-2024 period. Compared to other high-ranking officials such as Firli Bahuri, Alexander Marwoto, and Nurul Ghufron, Nawawi rarely appears in public.

Nawawi Pomolango was born in Manado, North Sulawesi, on February 28, 1962. Nawawi underwent childhood to teenagers in his homeland, from elementary school (SD) to high school (SMA). Nawawi continued his higher education at the Faculty of Law, Sam Ratulangi University and received a Bachelor of Law.

Still looking to explore his knowledge, Nawawi continued his Master's studies at Pasundan University in Bandung. As a student of the master's program, Nawawi studied criminal law and won a master's degree in 2019.

Nawawi Pomolango started his career as a judge at the Sosio Tidore District Court (PN), Central Halmahera, in 1992. He served as a judge there for four years. Then Nawawi was transferred to judge at the Tondano District Court, North Sulawesi, in 1996.

Nawawi Pomolango's career went well, until he continued to be a judge at the Balikpapan District Court. After serving there, Nawawi was transferred to judge at the Makassar District Court in 2005. Nawawi was also promoted to Chairman of the Poso District Court for a 2010-2012 term.

Nawawi Pomolango's reputation has become increasingly known since he served at the Central Jakarta District Court in 2011-2013. In 2016, Nawawi was trusted to occupy the position of Chairman of the East Jakarta District Court. Then he was promoted as a high judge at the Denpasar High Court in 2017.

Nawawi Pomolango began to enter and work at the KPK since December 20, 2019. President Jokowi inaugurated Nawawi and 4 KPK Commissioners, by appointing the man who was born in Manado as Deputy Chair of the KPK for the 2019-2023 period. He qualified as a KPK official after gaining 50 votes in the voting held by Commission III of the DPR RI.

After being appointed Deputy Chairperson of the KPK, Nawawi had to resign and leave his position as judge. When Nawawi was retired as the head of the KPK, he could no longer be a career judge.

Nawawi Pomolango is known as a firm judge in handling severe cases. Nawawi has tried a number of important cases in Indonesia, including corruption (tipikor) which was handled by the KPK. He has been certified by a corruption judge since 2006.

During his 30 years of career in the world of judges, Nawawi has handled a number of important cases below:

When he was the chairman of the East Jakarta District Court, Nawawi was a judge at the Jakarta Corruption Court. He once sentenced the former Constitutional Court judge Patrialis Akbar to 8 years in prison. The convict had to languish in prison because of a bribery case related to the judicial review of the Animal Husbandry and Health Law.

Nawawi was also a judge in the trial of former DPD Chairman Irman Gusman who was involved in the bribery case for the import sugar quota. He sentenced Irman Gusman to 4.5 years in prison.

In 2013, Nawawi also tried former PKS President Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq in the bribery case for regulating the import quota of cattle and money laundering. Nawawi sentenced Luthfi Hasan to 16 years in prison and a fine of 1 billion.

Nawawi Pomolango's assets amounted to Rp3,713,500,000 or Rp3.71 billion, based on the wealth report as of December 31, 2022 on the State Officials Wealth Report (LHKPN) page. Nawawi's wealth comes from various assets ranging from land and buildings, means of transportation, mobile prices, and others.

The land and building assets owned by Nawawi Pomolango are spread across Bolaang Mongondow City to Balikpapan. The total land and buildings are owned worth IDR 2.3 billion. Meanwhile, the means of transportation and machinery he owns are worth IDR 321.5 million.

Nawawi also kept other movable assets amounting to Rp155 million. In addition to iu, the cash and cash equivalents owned amounted to Rp702 million. Meanwhile, other assets owned are Rp235 million.

In addition, Nawawi is known to have no debt. So Nawawi's total wealth reached IDR 3,713,500,000 or IDR 3.71 billion.

Nawawi Pomolango once criticized Firli Bahuri, who at that time served as Chairman of the KPK. Nawawi reminded KPK leaders to avoid working styles to highlight one person or 'one man show'.

This criticism was conveyed by Nawawi when responding to a letter written by the Governor of Papua Lukas Enembe for Firli Bahuri on November 3, 2022. At that time, Lukas Enembe collected the promise made by Firli Bahuri while undergoing an examination at his residence in Jayapura, Papua.

"This should be a warning for us to avoid work styles that tend to be one man show," Nawawi said in a written message on Thursday (2/2/2023).

At that time, Nawawi asked KPK investigators not to be influenced by the promise requested by Lukas Enembe to Firli Bahuri. Nawawi himself also said that he did not know what the KPK chairman had promised to Lukas Enembe.

Meanwhile, Lukas Enembe at that time was a suspect in allegations of gratification, bribery and money laundering (TPPU). Because the Governor of Papua reasoned that he was sick, in the end investigators had to examine him at home.

However, the investigation was in the spotlight because Firli Bahuri came and met Lukas Enembe, who was already a suspect. In fact, if you refer to the new law, the KPK leadership is no longer an investigator.

As the Temporary Chair of the KPK, Nawawi Pomolango immediately held an inaugural meeting with the KPK leadership. The meeting discussed issues that were a priority with the current situation faced by the institution.

"The leadership work in this institution is a collegial collective. God willing (today) I will meet and talk first with other leadership colleagues to discuss priority-scale work related to the current situation faced by the institution," Nawawi said in his statement, Monday (27/11).

Such is the profile of Nawawi Pomolango and his actions as judges before serving in the KPK. As the Chairperson of the KPK, there is still a lot of homework that Nawawi has to handle.

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