Wahyu Setiawan's Corruption And Concerns About The Delegation Issues Of Election Administrators

KPU office (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - There is a big concern that has spread from the bribery case of the General Election Commission (KPU) commissioner Wahyu Setiawan.

According to the Executive Director of Perludem, Titi Anggraini, this concern arises because there could be parties who politicize by weakening the direct democratic system. Moreover, he added, Wahyu held the position of administering general elections.

"The KPU Commissioner OTT case can be directed outside the context of law enforcement, then drawn to the issue of KPU delegitimization and the failure of direct democratic institutions," said Titi when contacted by VOI, Saturday, January 11.

Wahyu's entanglement in the KPK OTT is also an irony. Because, so far, the leadership of the KPU for the 2017-2022 period has been aggressively doing everything they can to prevent former corruption convicts from nominating as election participants, even though it is not approved by the law.

"This is of course a heavy blow to the KPU institution because it is very contradictory to the anti-corruption spirit that is loudly echoed by the KPU in the process of organizing elections and regional elections," said Titi.

Therefore, he added, it is important for the KPU to communicate to the public that Wahyu Setiawan's actions are personal, not institutional.

Furthermore, Titi hopes that the KPU can make this moment to carry out reforms and clean up the total body of the KPU. Both internally and external relations patterns.

At the same time, the KPU must build a better and more effective internal monitoring mechanism in preventing deviant and corrupt actions from its ranks. Moreover, there will be many temptations ahead of the 2020 Pilkada.

"The KPU must also warn its staff in the regions not to flirt and carry out illegal practices in holding elections and regional head elections," he explained.

Meanwhile, the General Election Commission (KPU), Arief Budiman, claimed that the image of his institution was not affected even though there was the Wahyu case.

Arief said that the assessment of the bad image due to the hand-catching operation (OTT) was too premature. "The conclusion is rushed to think that the KPU is deteriorating, it hasn't been measured."

KPU chairman Arief Budiman accompanied by several KPU commissioners after visiting the KPK (Photo: Diah Ayu Wardani / VOI)

Even so, Arief did not deny that the OTT had a negative influence on the KPU. He promised to improve performance after the institution became the subject of public gossip, namely hard work as undertaken during the election process.

"Of course, we will also do what we have done during the election process, work transparently, maintain integrity, work professionally," said Arief.

"For other matters of this inappropriate incident, I ask my friends in the provinces and city districts to be more introspective, in order to maintain their integrity," he added.

Wahyu Setiawan uses a KPK prison jacket (Diah Ayu Wardani / VOI)

Previously, the General Election Commission (KPU) Commissioner Wahyu Setiawan was officially named a suspect in receiving bribes by the KPK. Wahyu was proven to have asked for Rp900 million in cash.

The money will be used to pave the way for the DPR RI candidates from the PDIP. Harun Masiku gets his share of the nomination through the process of changing between time (PAW) from Nazarudin Kiemas who died.