KPK Now: Arrest First, Press Conference Later

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has a new way of announcing a suspect he has just arrested through a hand-arrest operation (OTT). Usually, the status of the suspect comes out first, then he is arrested.

However, their style is different nowadays. The KPK announced the suspects who were caught by the OTT after the arrest. The reason is, so as not to make a scene.

This pattern was applied when the KPK revealed two new suspects from the development of a bribery case related to projects of the PUPR Office in Muara Enim Regency. The two suspects are the Chairman of the Muara Regency DPRD Enim Aries HB and the Acting PUPR Service of Muara Enim Regency Ramlan Suryadi.

Deputy Chairman of the KPK Alexander Marwata said that the determination of the status of the two suspects was the development of the investigation of the three suspects in the same case, namely the inactive Muara Enim Regent Ahmad Yani, the Head of the Road Development and PPK Division at the PUPR Service of Muara Enim Regency Elfin Mochtar, and the private sector. Robi Okta Fahlevi.

"After finding sufficient preliminary evidence to proceed with a case title, the KPK concluded that there was a suspicion of corruption in accepting gifts or promises," Alex said in a press conference broadcast on the KPK's YouTube account, Monday, April 27.

The investigation process of the two suspects, said Alex, had been carried out since March 3, 2019. In addition, the KPK has also searched the homes of the suspects in this case and examined 10 witnesses.

However, when investigators summoned Aries and Ramlan, both were absent. It was recorded that they were summoned on April 17 and April 23, but both were absent. Then on Sunday, April 26, this anti-corruption agency arrested the two suspects accompanied by the South Sumatra Regional Police.

In this case, Aries allegedly received Rp3.031 billion from Robi during the period May-August 2019, while Ramlan allegedly received Rp.1.115 billion and a Samsung Galaxy Note 10 mobile phone from Robi as a commitment fee.

As a result of their actions, Aries and Ramlan were suspected of violating Article 12 letter a or Article 11 of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning Eradication of Corruption as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001 concerning Amendments to Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning Eradication of Corruption in conjunction with Article 55 Paragraph 1 to 1 of the Criminal Code in conjunction with Article 64 Paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code.

This arrest is the fourth time in the era of KPK Chairman Firli Bahuri's leadership. Unlike the previous period, the KPK is now arresting their suspects first and holding a press conference afterwards.

Regarding this change in pattern, Firli said, arrest without prior announcement of the status of a suspect is a new feature of the new KPK and a form of quiet work.

"As for the arrests made without the announcement of the status of the suspect are the hallmarks of the current silent work of the KPK, they do not mess around in the media while maintaining the stability of the nation in the midst of COVID-19," Firli said in his written statement.

This arrest, without prior publication, was appreciated by the Chairman of the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly Bambang Soesatyo. According to him, the changes made by Firli were correct and did not cause a stir in the public.

"The KPK usually announces in advance if it is going to arrest a suspect in a case. This time it is different, first being arrested and then announced to the public. This step is very precise so that it does not cause uproar and the suspect does not have time to destroy evidence, let alone run away," said the party politician. Golkar.

Apart from Bambang, member of Commission III of the DPR RI Arteria Dahlan also appreciated the work. Apart from not causing uproar, he considered, this decision proved that the KPK was still working in eradicating corruption.

"Just entrust the KPK to work, currently the anti-corruption eradication is being carried out very effectively, very carefully, not rowdy and with certainty," said the PDI-P politician.

"I assure you that the current work of the Corruption Eradication Commission is a role model like a corruption eradication agency works. It is proven that the active efforts to eradicate corruption have not decreased one bit even though during the Covid-19 pandemic, it was not even once," he added.

Although politicians appreciate the KPK's performance, including changes to the system in this institution, Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) considers that Firli Bahuri, cs, does not need excessive appreciation. Moreover, the bribery case in Muara Enim was not a new case but an inherited case from the Agus Rahardjo period, cs.

"This case is actually a development of the previous era KPK leadership," said ICW researcher Kurnia Ramadhana.

He explained, since being inaugurated in December 2019, there has not been any action from the new investigation carried out by the anti-graft agency.

Call it the OTT Commissioner of the KPU, the Regent of Siduarjo, members of the DPRD of North Sumatra, and Muara Enim, all of which are developments from the previous leadership of the KPK.

Some parties, said Kurnia, may think that the KPK has been rowdy when it comes to arresting criminals. However, according to him, the opinion that is often made by politicians is wrong. This is because the uproar in each action usually comes from suspects who try to find loopholes in corruption cases.

He said that the determination of the suspect in the press conference before the arrest was not a form of noise but a form of transparency towards the public.

"Providing information to the public at every step of the KPK is a basic principle of the values that exist in the KPK, namely openness, accountability and the public interest," he said.

Kurnia added, although the KPK continues to strive not to make noise in the prosecution, their performance has been under the spotlight of the public. Moreover, until now, there has been no progress in the major cases handled by the anti-graft agency, such as the Bank Indonesia Liquidity Assistance (BLBI) corruption scandal, the procurement of Electronic KTPs, and the Bank Century bailout.

In addition, the KPK also experienced a setback because it had not been able to arrest the fugitive PDIP candidate Harun Masiku for bribing KPU Commissioner Wahyu Setiawan and did not also arrest former Secretary of the Supreme Court (MA) Nurhadi even though the search times for both were long.

So, even though KPK chairman Firli Bahuri claims his institution has a new system that does not make noise and is praised by politicians, according to Kurnia, there is nothing proud of the appointment of the two new suspects.

"The arrests carried out by the KPK against two suspects in Muara Enim Regency are not something that is so proud of Firli Bahuri's leadership," he concluded.