ICW Calls The Age Limit For Candidates For KPK Leaderships Of Hambut Young Figures Potential

Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW). (Between)

JAKARTA - Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) ICW said the minimum age limit for someone running for office in the selection of the leadership of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) hindered potential young figures. ICW views that the older a candidate is not necessarily wiser.

"That will hinder a lot of potential young figures to run for office and that is finally proven when Pak Ghufron (Vice Chairman of the KPK Nurul Ghufron) finally submits a judicial review," ICW researcher Lalola Ester told reporters, Wednesday, November 16.

Lalola also assessed that getting older a person also does not mean that he will dare to serve as the head of the anti-corruption commission. Thus, the minimum age limit from the beginning was in the spotlight of anti-corruption activists when the KPK Law Number 19 of 2019 was planned until it was finally passed.

"In the end, yes, the rejection of civil society is not excessive," he said.

"The steps taken by Ghufron by submitting JR actually strengthen our concerns so far," he said.

ICW assesses that the KPK leadership is actually more suitable to be led by young people. They are believed to have innovations to eradicate racial abuse in the country.

Previously, the Deputy Chairperson of the KPK, Nurul Ghufron, filed a lawsuit with the Constitutional Court (MK). He sued Article 29 letter e of Law 19 of 2019 regarding the age limit for the head of the anti-corruption commission.

In a copy of the petition he submitted, Ghufron said the article regulates the minimum age limit of 50 years and a maximum of 65 years in the election process. In fact, the previous rule stated that the minimum limit as a KPK leader was 40 years.

"This will result in applicants whose age has not reached 50 years unable to run for the leadership of the KPK for the next period," the lawsuit was quoted as saying on the Constitutional Court website on Tuesday, November 15.

In addition, Ghufron also said that the age limit rule was contradictory to Article 34 of Law Number 30 of 2022 which reads: 'The KPK leadership holds a four-year position and can be re-elected only for one term'. This reason made him file a lawsuit because he felt aggrieved.

The reason is that Ghufron only reached 49 years old when he spent his term of office. So, he could no longer run for the leadership of the KPK.

"Thus, it is very clear that the applicant who currently serves as Deputy Chair of the KPK loses his constitutional right to guarantee legal certainty in running for the KPK leadership for one term later."