The Number Of High-ranking Police Officers In The KPK Is Judged To Have Eroded Independence

(Photo: Inauguration of new structural officers at the KPK Red and White House. KPK Public Relations Documentation)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Firli Bahuri inaugurated 38 officials in the new structure based on the changes enacted in Commission Regulation (Perkom) Number 7 of 2020 concerning the Organization and Work Procedures of the KPK.

Regarding the inauguration, Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) researcher Kurnia Ramadhana said that the inauguration of dozens of new officials, six of whom came from the Bhayangkara Corps, was deemed to erode the independence of the anti-corruption commission.

He considered that after Firli was appointed chairman of the KPK, there was a new trend that occurred, namely the entry of high-ranking Police officers to fill structural positions in the anti-graft commission. This was proven by the presence of seven police officers at the director level, one at the deputy level.

"In general, the problem with the new structural KPK officials can be seen as an attempt by the leadership to play against institutional independence," said Kurnia in a written statement to reporters quoted on Wednesday, January 6.

Furthermore, he considered, the inauguration of dozens of new officials in the KPK structure was an act of abuse of authority by the leadership because of a problematic legal basis. The reason is, the change in the KPK regulations to Law 19 of 2019 was not followed by a change in the substance of Article 26 in Law 30 of 2002.

This means that the nomenclature of the KPK structure should still refer to Article 26 of Law 30 of 2002 as amended by Law 19 of 2019, namely the Prevention Sector, the Enforcement Sector, the Information and Data Sector, the Internal Control Sector and Public Complaints.

Thus, changes through Perkom 7/2020 which add new nomenclature such as the Deputy for Education and Community Participation, inspectorates, and special staff are considered to be contrary to Law 19 of 2019 and cannot be justified.

"This shows that the decision of the KPK leadership Number 1837/2020 concerning Appointment and Confirmation in High Leadership and Administrator Positions at the Corruption Eradication Commission is contrary to Law 19/2019 and cannot be justified," he said.

In addition, Kurnia also assessed that this new nomenclature is contrary to the concept of bureaucratic reform which prioritizes efficiency. This is because in the old structure the KPK only had four deputies with 12 directorates, now the anti-corruption commission has five deputies and 21 directorates.

"This fattening also has implications for the implementation of the KPK's trigger mechanism function. As a state institution that should be an example of bureaucratic reform and efficiency, the KPK's legitimacy in providing input to streamline ministries and other state institutions will be reduced due to the fattening of the KPK structure," he said.

Previously it was reported that at the KPK's Red and White House, Jalan Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, Firli appointed 38 people, six of whom were high-ranking police officers.

Those who came from the Bhayangkara Corps and were inaugurated on Tuesday, January 5, were Inspector General Karyoto as Deputy for Corruption Eradication and Execution, Brigadier General Didik Agung Widjarnako, Brigadier General Yudhiawan, and Brigadier General Bahtiar Ujang Purnama who were respectively appointed as Coordinating Director for Supervision I, II , and III the KPK.

Then there was also Brigadier General Kumbul Kuswidjanto Sudjadi inaugurated as Director of Community Participation Development of the KPK and Brigadier General Agung Yudha Wibowo as Director of KPK Monitoring.

With the inauguration of six high-ranking officers from the Bhayangkara Corps, currently there are a total of eight KPK structural officers who come from the police and sit in important positions including KPK Chairman Firli Bahuri who is a three-star general or the rank of Commissioner General appointed by President Joko Widodo. (Jokowi) on December 20, 2019.

Furthermore, there is the Director of Investigation of the Corruption Eradication Commission, Brigadier General Setyo Budiyanto, who was inaugurated on 22 September 2020 to replace Brigadier General RZ Panca Putra Simanjuntak, who soon served as the North Sulawesi Police Chief. Then, Brigadier General Endar Priantoro served as Director of Investigation and was appointed on April 14, 2020.