Hopes For Transparency In Finding Deputy For Corruption Eradication Of The Corruption Eradication Commission

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) was asked to be transparent in the selection process for a number of structural positions. There are six positions in the institution that are currently carrying out the selection process, among them the Deputy for Enforcement which is currently held by RZ Panca Putra Simanjuntak as the executor of the task.

Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) is monitoring this process, which has been running since early March 2020. However, this selection process seems taciturn because no information has been conveyed to the public in a transparent manner.

"Almost no detailed and transparent information has been conveyed to the public, starting from the selection stage to the names of candidates for KPK structural officers who have registered," said ICW researcher Wana Alamsyah in a written statement as quoted by VOI, Tuesday, March 31.

Wana assessed that the public only knew about participants who registered as Deputy for Corruption Eradication at KPK, seven of whom came from the police while four others came from the prosecutor's office. In fact, as an institution that always implements transparency and accountability, the KPK should provide clear information regarding the selection of public officials within its institution.

"However, the leadership of the KPK this period failed to provide an example to other public bodies in an effort to provide access to public information. In fact, one strategy to prevent fraud from occurring is to open information to the public, as an effort to check and balance," he said.

In addition, based on Article 5 of the KPK Law, this institution must be based on transparency in carrying out its duties and authorities. In another regulation, namely Law Number 14 of 2018 concerning Openness of Public Information, there is also no excuse for the exception in Article 17 which underlies the selection process for Deputy of Enforcement which is closed information.

"So that such a selection process does not only violate the principles of openness and accountability in the KPK Law but also ignores the principles of openness in the KIP Law," said Wana.

"Another thing to worry about is that this closed method will further increase suspicion about the hidden agenda of placing certain officials in the KPK in accordance with the wishes of certain parties, either because of the factors of individual networks, networks of political groups and direction from certain parties in power," he added. he.

Moreover, the position of Deputy for Enforcement has a central role in the process of handling corruption cases that are investigated by anti-corruption institutions. "If the position is filled by people who do not have adequate integrity and capacity, the public's trust in the KPK will be further eroded," he explained.

Apart from the issue of transparency, ICW also highlighted the problem of the institutional independence of the KPK. According to him, looking at the majority of parties who took part in this selection, most of them came from other law enforcement institutions such as the police and the prosecutor's office. With this composition, it is not impossible that there is a potential conflict of interest there. Moreover, the KPK often investigates corruption cases involving other law enforcement institutions.

"For this reason, the leadership of the KPK must always show integrity, professionalism and a good reputation in the decisions taken. This includes the selection process for the Deputy for Enforcement, so that the KPK does not further lose public trust in the future," he said.

Acting KPK spokesman in the field of prosecution, Ali Fikri in his written statement said that the selection for KPK Deputy Enforcement had narrowed down to three candidates. The shrinking of this name is the result of the administrative test selection, potential test and assessment.

"From the potential test and assessment, there were three out of 11 applicants who passed," said Ali.

Administrative tests, potency tests and assessments will be held from March 5 to March 17. Furthermore, the candidates who passed took the medical test and interview from April 2 to April 7.

"In parallel with that, monitoring of the background check of potential participants is carried out (either carried out by the KPK internal or in collaboration with external agencies)," he said.

Apart from Deputy for Enforcement, Ali also said that the selection process also occurred in the selection for other positions, including Deputy for Information and Data. Of the 12 registrants, there were three who passed temporarily. Then, the Head of the Legal Bureau, there were 14 applicants and 4 who passed, as well as the Director of Investigation whose registrants were 16 people who passed 4 people.

"Participants who passed came from internal KPK employees and external parties (Ministries / Institutions)," he concluded.