ICW Criticizes The Search For Fugitives Including Harun Masiku, KPK: For Us, It's A Pill

Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Karyoto (Wardhany T/VOI)

JAKARTA - The Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Karyoto said the criticism submitted by Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) was a pill to encourage enthusiasm.

This was conveyed by Karyoto in response to ICW's statement regarding the search for a suspect in the bribery case of former General Elections Commission (KPU) Commissioner Wahyu Setiawan, Harun Masiku, which has yet to produce results.

"The criticism from ICW for us is a healthy pill that encourages us to catch DPOs who are still in debt," Karyoto said at a press conference at the KPK Red Building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, Friday, May 20.

While related to the search for fugitives, Karyoto ensured that the KPK would continue to be committed to all events. Apart from Harun Masiku, there are other fugitives who are being chased, such as the suspect in the corruption case in the procurement of e-KTP, Paulus Thanos who is currently in Singapore. "The leadership here is very committed by all means," he stressed.

The search for fugitives, continued Karyoto, will be accelerated, especially now that the COVID-19 pandemic has begun to slow down. Even so, the KPK did not explain further how the process was. Likewise, the search for Harun Masiku, whose whereabouts are not yet known.

"But what is clear is that we have already started, which means that when it is possible to find a stopover, we will look for it," said Karyoto.

"Hopefully there will be people who see that they are in Indonesia sooner. If they are outside Indonesia, if they are anywhere, actually biometric photos of Indonesian citizens who have crossed can be detected," he added.

As previously reported, ICW researcher Kurnia Ramadhana believes the KPK will continue to argue when it comes to the search for their fugitive, Harun Masiku. This belief arises because it has been 850 days since the anti-corruption commission has not been able to find a former candidate who ran for the 2019 general election.

"We believe that until the end of Firli cs' term as KPK commissioners, the anti-corruption agency will continue to argue with all its arguments to delay the search for Harun Masiku," he said in a written statement to reporters, Thursday, May 19.

However, ICW admitted that he was not surprised by this kind of action from the KPK. This is because Harun has not been caught yet, allegedly because the Chairman of the KPK, Firli Bahuri, is afraid of the figure allegedly related to the fugitive.

Kurnia also said that all statements from the KPK regarding the search for Harun Masiku were merely lip service.

"Even if there are statements, both Firli and the Acting Spokesperson for KPK Enforcement, we suspect it is just lip service," he said.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has named Harun Masiku as a suspect in giving bribes to KPU Commissioner Wahyu Setiawan since January 2020. This bribery was carried out so that he would have the convenience of sitting as a member of the DPR RI through time shifts or PAW.

Harun's escape began when the KPK carried out an arrest operation regarding this case on January 8, 2020. In the silent operation, the KPK named four suspects, namely Harun Masiku, Wahyu Setiawan, former Bawaslu Member Agustiani Tio Fridelina, and Saeful Bahri.

It's just that Aaron, who was not caught by OTT, is unknown. He reportedly fled to Singapore and is said to have returned to Indonesia.

Apart from Harun, there are actually three other fugitives who have not been caught. They are Surya Darmadi who has been on the run since 2019; Izil Azhar has been fugitive since 2018; and Kirana Kotama who has been fugitive since 2017.