[LEGAL] Febri Diansyah | About One Year Full Of Restlessness At The KPK

Febri Diansyah in an interview with VOI (Mahesa ARK / VOI)

Febri Diansyah officially announced his resignation from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). Febri is not the leader. However, he is an important face for the KPK. Febri's exit raised questions. Various symbols and common interpretations emerged, hinting at the KPK's looking grim future. Monday, September 28, we chatted with Febri, exploring her inner journey.

Our office gate in Menteng, Central Jakarta opens around 18.00 WIB. A silver minibus entered the courtyard, signaling the arrival of Febri Diansyah. Before long, Febri appeared in a white shirt.

"Sorry, yes. Too late," said Febri in response to our welcome.

We have been waiting for his arrival since the afternoon. Referring to his promise, Febri was supposed to meet us at 16.30 WIB. Febri explained the reason for the delay. The reason that made us aware, was that even at the end of his career, Febri still maintained his integrity as the Head of the Public Relations Bureau (PR) of the KPK. In the middle of his leave period, Febri admitted that he still attended a number of activities, including internal meetings at the KPK.

"The first day of leave," Febri.

The conversation started. The gestures were steady throughout the conversation. Our gray sofa did not make Febri lean. Febri's body leaned forward. Febri's right and left hands occasionally clasped each other. The rest, Febri did not change. The conversation took place as we used to do with him, since Febri was still the spokesman for the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) until now he is serving as the Head of PR.

"It's not easy to write your resignation, right?"

Febri Diansyah

Febri's expression became the key word for our conversation. Febri went through a long inner journey to arrive at her decision to resign. A student demonstration one year ago triggered all anxiety, when many students took to the streets to reject the revision of the KPK Law. Febri is aware that he cares for the KPK so much. And when the government and the DPR passed the bill into Law Number 19 of 2019, the turmoil in Febri's chest intensified.

Febri reflects on his instincts and logic. Is it possible that he can still contribute to efforts to eradicate corruption from within anti-graft institutions, after the ratification of Law 19/2019, in particular. "The question was finally answered in September. I submitted a farewell letter," said Febri.

KPK's muruah stakes

KPK Building (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

The past year has been a tough period for Febri. With the changing political and legal atmosphere, Febri and many of his colleagues are still trying to keep the KPK on a straight path to eradicate corruption. One of them is about the independence of employees. This aspect is an important value as well as the most threatened by the KPK today. Even though this value must be ensured that it still exists to protect the KPK's muruah.

The independence issue referred to by Febri is also related to the status transfer of KPK employees. Government Regulation (PP) Number 41 of 2020 which regulates this, called Febri, does not provide clarity about the fate of KPK employees. The question of where the KPK stands, for example. PP 41/2020 opens the possibility of a supervisory agency above the KPK. This means that the work of the KPK will depend on the agency's 'assessment'.

"It has never been clearly stated, whether to become a civil servant or a first aid worker. If you are a civil servant, who is the managing agency, for example. Do you have to go to another agency or in the KPK itself. Then what is the working mechanism later so that the stigmas that develop out there don't happen also to the KPK so that the KPK can still work clearly, independently. "

"You can imagine, if at the KPK, the investigator carries out an examination, who he can examine. Could be a minister, could be a member of the DPR or DPRD, it could be a high official. Is it possible that the person carrying out the examination does not feel independent and his fate in quotes is not guaranteed on an official basis, then he can deal with high-ranking officials. The risks need to be mapped in such a way and mitigated, if we talk about risk mitigation. "

Febri Diansyah

In that one year full of anxiety, Febri continued to seek many things he could do to defend the KPK muruah. Apart from independence, there are two other values which according to Febri are very important to keep the KPK alive. Two things that are commitment to power and community support.

"In several countries in the world, the 'KPK' can be strong because there is very strong political support. Its political power wants the country to be free from corruption. But if its political power considers the KPK as a bully, as a fan of making a scene, for example. Or in quotes. , a child that is not wanted, there is no way that the KPK can become strong. So political commitment is the most important. Is there now a strong political commitment to the KPK? Many parties can answer that. So let's just look for literature and opinions related to this matter. that."

Febri Diansyah

The position of the Head of the Public Relations Bureau places him in direct contact with the community. Febri was never just the mouth of the KPK. He is also eyes and ears. From Febri's position, the dynamics of the public are correct. Support, disappointment, even hopelessness. Things that add to Febri's anxiety. According to him, community support is very important. The loss of public support is the same as the beginning of the downfall of the KPK.

Febri when delivering a press statement (Wardhany Tsa Tsia / VOI)

"In the past, as the Head of Public Relations, my responsibility was of course the KPK's public communication. That means not only talking, the KPK delivers information, then the media writes, the public knows. But more than that. As a form of KPK accountability or responsibility to the public, that's one thing. And secondly, communication is not one-way. Just conveying information is enough. But no. But it also absorbs how the public responds to news in the media, its positive or negative tone, what input. And also on social media. found a lot of pretty high expectations as well as a lot of criticism and disappointment. "

"It develops from day to day, from month to month, at least during 2020. I cannot say that there was no such thing before, there was no criticism from the public in previous eras. But indeed the current condition is indeed very good. Different. The rules are new. Then the leader is new. And there are some controversies that we remember in the last year. And a lot of that concern for some people that we read about in the media coverage, I see, is starting to be proven one by one. "

Febri Diansyah

[/ read_more]

Approaching the increasingly unanimous decision to resign, Febri met with the KPK leadership. A meeting with the Deputy Chairman of the KPK, Nawawi Pomolango, for example. Emotional turmoil occurred at the meeting, when Febri was about to convey his plan to resign to Nawawi, the former judge actually preceded the conversation by expressing his sadness at seeing the many KPK employees who had resigned. Indeed, in less than a year, 37 KPK employees had resigned.

During the chat, Febri and Nawawi agreed that the resignation of these employees was a strong warning for the future of the anti-graft agency. Both also agreed that the reason for the resignation of employees was based on logical considerations. Things that Febri also underlined in the chat with us. According to Febri, many narratives dwarf the decision to resign KPK employees. Narrative to fight.

"Don't imagine the fate of this employee about money, yes. Because this is what is being dwarfed. As if everyone is only talking about income."

Apart from Nawawi, Febri also said he met with other leaders, starting from KPK chairman Firli Bahuri and three other deputy leaders, such as Alexander Marwata, Lili Pintauli Siregar, to Nurul Ghufron. The last name had alluded to Febri's decision to resign as a step to escape from the war. What Febri also shared with us.

"I already responded and I said 'thank you, Mr. Gufron.' Because it is not us who think we are fighters or losers. Sometimes there are people who feel like warriors, even though they are losers. Or vice versa. "

Febri Diansyah

Future plan

This decision to resign was never easy from the start. Febri went through many struggles with the KPK. He is the face most often seen by the public. For us, the information that Febri gave was not just news material. Every piece of information that Febri conveyed was stakes after stakes marking the extent to which the country has traveled to eradicate corruption.

For Febri, the position of KPK Public Relations Head is certainly an honor. Even from the material side. However, this also weighed on Febri. There was a huge moral burden that he felt. The burdens he can either carry or not in the future.

"To put it simply as Head of the Public Relations Bureau, I receive quite a high income. And when I receive that income every month, at that time statements of moral burden appear, because this money is money from the people and I can't contribute significantly ... And I receive too much public money every month. I think it's better if I stay outside and contribute more significantly without any moral burden. "

After officially resigning his post on October 18, Febri will establish a law firm with other people who focus on eradicating corruption. This is what Febri described as "contributions from outside." According to him, the law firm he founded will move to provide legal assistance to victims of corruption cases, an area that has not been given enough attention, said Febri.

Febri Diansyah in an interview with VOI (Mahesa ARK / VOI)

[/ read_more]

"So this is indeed a relatively new concept that we want to try to develop, namely combining law offices such as law firms with anti-corruption advocacy aspects, especially for victims of corruption because they are often neglected," he said.

This law firm, he said, would also be engaged in developing a governance system for preventing corruption in an agency or company. With good governance of the corruption prevention system, Febri hopes that corrupt practices in these areas can be eliminated.

Finally, Febri shared an interesting attitude to be absorbed. About him who will continue to guard the KPK from outside and how he and many KPK employees serve themselves. That dedication is not for the leadership, but for the values and ideals generated by the KPK.

"I am committed to maintaining the KPK. Guarding the KPK from outside institutionally, not personally. Because we have never been loyal to personalities. To the leadership, I say, the tradition or values that have developed in the KPK, we have never been loyal to the leadership personnel or personal superiors. But we are loyal to the values and ideals of the institution. "

Febri Diansyah

OTHER INTERVIEWS

[/ read_more]