KPK Chairman reminds political parties of the importance of recruiting cadres with integrity

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Setyo Budiyanto reminded political parties to prioritize integrity. Track record should be a concern.

This statement was made by Setyo in response to the phenomenon of ex-prisoners of corruption cases who have rejoined political parties.

"If it's related to that problem, of course the public can judge, lah. The public, all parties, including parties can also judge," Setyo told reporters quoted on Monday, June 22.

Setyo assessed that political parties needed to ensure that the cadres recruited were people who had integrity. Because, what was at stake was not only the name of the individual but also the image and quality of the political party itself.

"It is hoped that the cadre is a person who has integrity. So not only the person but also the party," he said.

Moreover, continued Setyo, the role of the party and its cadres is not only related to political activities. According to him, many policies born from political parties will have a direct impact on public welfare, development, and government governance.

So, the integrity of the cadre of political parties needs to be a concern.

"Because what? The products produced, the activities carried out are not only related to politics but also have an impact on welfare, development," said Setyo.

"All of them require integrity that is relevant to the party's activities," continued the former KPK Investigation Director.

Similarly, KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo has also reminded political parties to prioritize integrity and track records in the recruitment process for cadres.

This was conveyed by him after the news that the former Governor of Southeast Sulawesi, Nur Alam, joined the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI). In fact, he is still in a conditional release status after serving his status as a prisoner of corruption.

"We consider it important for every political party to apply the principle of caution and due diligence in the recruitment process of cadres and filling political positions, by conducting adequate research on the track record, integrity, and legal compliance of the candidate cadres," Budi told reporters, Friday, June 19.

Budi said every citizen has the right to engage in politics in accordance with the provisions of laws and regulations. However, Nur Alam's legal status should still be a concern.

"It also needs to be seen the legal status of the person concerned, including whether they are still undergoing conditional release or there is a court decision that includes the revocation of political rights as an additional crime," he said.

"The KPK believes that efforts to build an anti-corruption culture must begin from the political recruitment process. Therefore, the aspect of integrity and anti-corruption track record should be the main consideration in every political decision-making, so that the big goal of realizing a clean government free from corruption can be achieved sustainably," concluded Budi.