KPK's Proposal on Presidential and Vice Presidential Candidates Should Be Evaluated by Party Cadres, Not Political System Intervention

JAKARTA - Former Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator, Praswad Nugraha, considers that there is nothing wrong with the proposal of the anti-corruption commission regarding the presidential and vice presidential candidates must come from party cadres. The institution is considered to have the authority to issue studies for the improvement of the system, including party governance.

"As a result of research, the proposal is legitimate and is a form of contribution to thought-based studies," said Praswad in a written statement quoted on Monday, April 27.

Praswad also said that this proposal does not mean it must be done. "The idea is not an attempt to intervene in the political system or the legalization process," he said.

"We can convey that the KPK as a law enforcement agency does not have the authority to impose policies on law makers. Decisions related to the regulation of candidacy requirements remain in the legislative sphere, especially the DPR through the mechanism of drafting laws," he continued.

Even so, various inputs provided by the KPK regarding party governance, including regarding kaderisasi, should be positioned as a reference. Thus, Praswad supports the study that has been issued by the anti-corruption commission.

"In the system of forming legislation, various inputs such as research results, public aspirations, and the views of experts can be part of the academic manuscript," said the former investigator.

"Thus, the KPK's proposal can be positioned as one of the references or considerations in the process, not as a binding and coercive provision."

As previously reported, the KPK released the results of the Monitoring Directorate's study. One of them is related to the proposed revision of Law Number 2 of 2011 concerning Political Parties.

In its study, the KPK Monitoring Directorate proposed requirements for prospective candidates for president/vice president/regional head/vice regional head other than democratic and open, adding clauses derived from the party's kaderisasi system.

In addition, the anti-corruption commission also added a requirement for a minimum time limit to join a party to be nominated by a party.

When confirmed, Deputy for Prevention and Monitoring of the KPK, Aminuddin, said that the study from the KPK Monitoring Directorate was intended so that the party could know the quality of the candidate being carried.

"Ideally, the party's proposal to become public officials is the party's cadre so that the purpose of party cadre is to form qualified leaders and their track record is known by the carrying party," Aminuddin told VOI, quoted on Saturday, April 24.

While asked about the proposal, which has both pros and cons, Aminuddin did not answer further. He only emphasized that the condition was very normal but the goal was actually good.

"Yes, there will be pros and cons, but the purpose of the study recommendation is for something better," he said.