Pansel Claims Selection of Ombudsman Candidate is Strict, Shocked Hery Susanto as a Corruption Suspect  

JAKARTA - The Chairman of the Selection Committee (Pansel) for the Candidate for Member of the Indonesian Ombudsman for the period 2026-2031, Erwan Agus Putranto, admitted that he was surprised that the Chairman of the Ombudsman, Hery Susanto, was named a corruption suspect by the Attorney General's Office. He did not expect it because the selection process had been carried out strictly and transparently.

"We were very surprised when we heard the news yesterday that the Chairman of the ORI was involved in a corruption case," Erwan told reporters in a written statement, Friday, April 17.

Erwan said that the selection process was strictly carried out before the election through the fit and proper test or suitability and propriety test in the DPR RI. Screening has also been carried out by involving a number of parties, including the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to the Financial Transaction Reporting and Analysis Center (PPATK).

"We also conduct a search for news through print/online media regarding the track record of the candidates," he said.

Not stopping there, the panel also opened a public complaint service for candidates. "In the interview, it was also open by inviting academics, practitioners and activists to be able to attend to witness the vision, mission, track record and records from the screening results that we confirmed during the interview," said Erwan.

All of this, said Erwan, did not indicate that Hery was involved in a corruption case. So, the name was declared to pass and could take part in the fit and proper test.

"We can convey that, from the data we obtained during the selection process, we have not found any indication of corruption from Hery Susanto," he said.

"This is a very valuable lesson for the future, whoever is given the task of being a pansel can ensure that this kind of thing does not happen again."

As previously reported, the Chairman of the Indonesian Ombudsman, Hery Susanto, was named a suspect in alleged corruption in nickel mining business management for the period 2013-2025. Investigators have collected sufficient evidence from a series of investigations, including searches at a number of locations.

This case began when PT TSHI faced a problem with the calculation of PNBP by the Ministry of Forestry. In the process, the company allegedly cooperated with Hery Susanto to influence policies through the Ombudsman of the Republic of Indonesia so that it could calculate the amount of obligations to be paid to the state.

In the process, investigators suspect that there was a flow of funds to the suspect. The value is said to have reached Rp. 1.5 billion.

For his actions, Hery was charged with a number of articles in the Corruption Criminal Code, including Article 12 letters a and b, as well as Articles 5 and 6 of the new Criminal Code.