Criticism Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan Regarding OTT KPK Receiving Negative Responses According To Netray Monitoring

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan. (Between/HO-Kemenko Maritime Affairs and Investment/am)

JAKARTA - Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan's statement when giving a speech at the Launching of the Corruption Prevention Action 2023-2024 in Jakarta on December 20 drew controversy. Instead of supporting him, Luhut clearly asked the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) not to carry out hand arrest operations too often (OTT).

This is because, according to the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Menko Marves), OTT actually damages Indonesia's image in the eyes of the world. It's better to prioritize efforts that have a big impact by preventing through digital-based systems.

Digitalization will narrow the space for corruption, even eliminate it. No one is brave anymore, less likely to cheat.

"Yes, if you live a little, you can do it. We want to clean up very much in heaven, so even the KPK doesn't catch a little bit. Yes, look around, but if this digitalization is already running, in my opinion, (corruptors) will not be able to play around," said Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.

However, comparing OTT with digitizing the procurement of goods and services, and concluding that digitalization is better than hand arrest operations, is completely wrong. Reflecting the low commitment of state officials in eradicating corruption as a whole.

Former KPK Senior Investigator Novel Baswedan disagrees. According to him, it is not the OTT that makes the country bad, but the decline in the eradication of corruption.

Eradication of corruption can be carried out in three patterns simultaneously, namely prosecution, prevention, and education. If the action phase is not carried out, prevention will not have an effective impact," said Novel.

In line with Vice President Maruf Amin, If you want legal action such as OTT to be reduced, prevention and education efforts must be strengthened.

The three points are related to each other, when prevention and education strengthen, action against corrupt behavior will decrease by itself. On the other hand, if you feel that you are not strong, the action efforts cannot be abandoned either.

"Perhaps, but overall what is done in the world, including the KPK, uses this trident approach, namely education, prevention, and prosecution," said Ma'ruf.

The response of a number of circles to Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan's statement regarding the KPK OTT has indeed become a trending topic of news for the mass media, especially online mass media. Netray found 614 articles that discussed this during the period 19-28 December 2022.

Likewise on Twitter. Using the word 'keyluhut binsar', kpk && luhut, luhut &&ott kpk in the same period, Netray found 4,120 tweets, 2,588 of which were negative.

"Meanwhile, the overall number of impressions reached 208.7 thousand and has the potential to reach 117.3 million Twitter user accounts," wroteNetray on December 30, 2022.

News of the mass media and Twitter seem to have a similar intensity rate. The highest peak both occurred on December 21, 2022. Then it slowed down to December 28, 2022. Also, both are dominated by negative sentiment.

Twitter activists think that it should not be OTT's actions that should be reduced but its corrupt behavior. Currently, even though OTT continues, corruption is still rampant and has never made corruptors feel deterred.

"KPK has been weakened, 23 prisoners are free of condition, Supreme Court judges accept bribes, prosecutors become corruptors, party officials are many corrupt, tax entrepreneurs are tens of trillions of corruption, how come OTT is considered bad for the country? CORRUPTION THAT MAKES IT BAD AND BAD FOR THIS COUNTRY!" tweet @FraksiRakyatID on December 21.

@NewsJerami quoted Saut Sitomorang's statement, Saut Situmorang vehemently denies Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan's statement about not doing OTT often. Saut said, 'Who are you banning OTT!'

On Twitter, the @NewsJerami and @demicrazymedia accounts became the most popular accounts in discussions related to Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan and OTT KPK. Meanwhile, online news media showed that Suara and Warta Ekonomi were the most published online media portals related to Luhut during that period, "wroteNetray to cover his report.