'Made Through A Fair Process?', Asks UGM Pukat About The Making Of The KPK Hymns And Mars Campaign Created By Firli Bahuri's Wife

Chairman of the KPK Firli Bahuri when presenting the award to Ardina Safitri, the creator of the KPK hymn and march who is also his wife / Public Relations of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) hymn and march created by the wife of KPK Chairman Firli Bahuri, Ardina Fitri, is still controversial. Researcher from the Center for Anti-Corruption Studies (PUKAT) of the Faculty of Law, Gadjah Mada University (UGM), Zaenur Rohman even questioned the manufacturing process.

To the KPK, Zaenur questioned whether there was a competition made by the institution to choose the best works for hymns and marches. This is because it is important to prevent conflicts of interest.

"Is the process of making this hymn carried out a fair process? For example, through elections with a competition which then allows other parties to have the opportunity to have the opportunity to launch their best works to be competed and finally chosen by the KPK," Zaenur told reporters, Friday, February 18th.

If the election does not carry out that, Zaenur argues, the KPK is not setting an example of healthy competition. Thus, the risk of a conflict of interest may occur.

"Why? Because his wife, the Chairperson of the KPK, created a hymn for the KPK," he said.

"We're not talking about being paid or unpaid, but the hymn later became an identity, became part of the KPK and was then created by the wife of the chairman of the KPK. In my opinion, there is a risk of a conflict of interest and it means that the KPK itself does not mitigate that risk," added Zaenur.

Furthermore, he also considered that these hymns and marches were a form of gimmick that Firli Bahuri didn't really need to do. Moreover, said Zaenur, the public is now responding negatively to the song created by Ardina.

Not only that, because of the hymn and march, there was an assumption that Firli was trying to dominate her persona in the institution. "It was as if there was an effort to personalize the KPK to become the dominant image of the KPK chairman until his wife then made a hymn," said Zaenur.

This condition, he continued, was considered not good for the KPK. "As if it had dragged the KPK into personalization, the KPK was Firli Bahuri and his family," he said.

"(Hymns and marches, ed) are just gimmicks of the KPK chairman who do not contribute much to the eradication of corruption and are laughed at, in fact, many people respond negatively," added Zaenur.

As previously reported, the KPK released hymns and marches on Thursday, February 17th. The marching song and the KPK hymn composed by Firli's wife contain messages and meanings to invite KPK people to continue to serve the country in order to create an Indonesia free from corruption.

Through the marching song and the KPK hymn, Ardina conveyed her pride for contributing to the task of eradicating corruption.

"Pride for a citizen is to be able to serve and contribute, no matter how small, however simple, to participate in advancing and prospering the nation, one of which is through eradicating corruption," said Ardina.