Firli Suspect In SYL Extortion Case, MAKI: Must Be Inactive And No Longer Lead KPK

KPK Chairman Firli Bahuri (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Anti-Corruption Society (MAKI) said Firli Bahuri should automatically be inactive as Chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) after being named a suspect in extortion or receiving gratuities from former Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Syahrul Yasin Limpo.

This was conveyed by MAKI Coordinator Boyamin Saiman in response to the determination of the suspect by the Polda Metro Jaya on Wednesday night, November 22. He said, there were rules in the law that automatically called Firli inactive due to this legal process.

"So starting tomorrow (today, ed) (should be, ed) inactive, unable to enter the KPK office again, no longer being the head of the KPK," Boyamin told reporters, Thursday, November 23.

With Firli's inactiveness, continued Boyamin, this condition is good for him personally and institutionally. Because (Firli, ed) will concentrate on dealing with legal cases. And yes, also on the other hand, it does not burden the KPK," he said.

"Because during this process, frankly, the KPK is burdened with moving to eradicate corruption, so it's like being held hostage, because there is a process in the Polda investigators," Boyamin continued.

Boyamin hopes that the anti-corruption commission will be able to step on the gas to deal with corruption cases. "Including later who replaces Pak Firli, immediately took great action using his authority to eradicate corruption," he said.

Previously reported, Polda Metro Jaya has finished carrying out a case of alleged extortion or receiving gratuities from the former Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo. Firli was finally named a suspect.

"A case title has been carried out with results, the discovery of sufficient evidence to determine FB's brother as chairman of the KPK RI as a suspect," said Director of Special Criminal Investigation at the Polda Metro Jaya Kombes Ade Safri Simanjuntak to reporters, Wednesday, November 22, evening.

Some of the evidence that became the basis for determining the suspect included witness testimony and electronic evidence.

Meanwhile, 91 witnesses have been examined. They include Syahrul Yasin Limpo, former aide to Firli Bahuri, Kevin Egananta. Then there is the Semarang Police Chief Kombes Pol Irwan Anwar, Director of Dumas KPK Tomi Murtomo, and two former KPK leaders Saut Situmorang and M Jasin.

Meanwhile, there are about 8 experts consisting of criminal law experts, micro expressions, and procedural law.

The series of cases of alleged extortion or acceptance of gratuities by the KPK leadership against Syahrul Yasin Limpo began when Polda Metro Jaya received Dumas on August 12, 2023.

With the complaint, the Tipidkor Sub-Directorate of the Ditreskrimsus Polda Metro Jaya collected information on the basis of a statement collection order (pulbaket) issued on Tuesday, August 15, 2023.

Not long after, investigators issued an investigation warrant on August 21. At this stage, a number of witnesses were examined, one of which was SYL.

Then, after the series of investigations were completed, investigators carried out a case title. As a result, a criminal element was found so that the status of the case was upgraded to the investigation stage.