Will Not Comment On The Contents Of The DKPP Decision Regarding Hasyim Asy'ari's Dismissal, KPU: Its Nature Is Not Institutional

Members of the General Election Commission commissioner at the Jakarta KPU Building (Diah Ayu/VOI)

JAKARTA - Acting (Plt) Chairman of the Indonesian General Elections Commission (KPU) Mochammad Afifuddin emphasized that his party would not comment on the contents of the decision of the Election Organizers Honorary Council (DKPP) regarding immoral cases committed by Hasyim Asy'ari.

"We will not comment on the DKPP decision because it is not an institutional nature," Afif said at a press conference at the Indonesian KPU Office, Jalan Imam Bonjol, Central Jakarta, Thursday, July 4.

After yesterday's DKPP decision, the six Indonesian KPU commissioners immediately held a plenary meeting to fill the vacant position of the leader of the election organizing institution. As a result, Afif was appointed as the executor of the KPU chairman until the existence of a definitive chairman.

Afif admitted that the decision that suddenly required the KPU to reshuffle the leadership structure was not an easy task because this happened during preparations for the 2024 Simultaneous Pilkada. However, the KPU must continue to follow up.

"Of course it's not an easy thing, but we have to face it together. So far, the wheels of the organization at the KPU are running very compactly and God willing, after the meeting or the plenary meeting, we will ensure that all things check and speed up to prepare everything to face the steps that are ahead of us," explained Afif.

Furthermore, Afif admitted that the KPU immediately coordinated with Commission II of the DPR RI to follow up on filling vacancies with interim replacement (PAW) by candidates for KPU members with a fit and proper test score below 7 commissioners for the 2022-2027 period.

"Yes, we will immediately communicate, immediately communicate with friends of Commission II (DPR RI)," said Afif.

It is known that the Indonesian DKPP imposed a permanent dismissal sanction on Hasyim Asy'ari as the chairman and member of the Indonesian KPU, related to the alleged immoral case against members of the The Hague Foreign Election Committee (PPLN), the Netherlands, with the initials CAT.

Hasyim Asy'ari's ethics trial at the DKPP revealed a number of facts of violations in the form of acts of sexual harassment or immorality.

The facts of the trial that DKPP member Ratna Dewi Pettalolo revealed that the defendant (Hasyim) violated the principle of proportionality and professionalism to forcing sexual relations with complainants.

Dewi Pettalolo revealed that from October 2 to October 7, 2023, CAT admitted that Hasyim had forced sexual relations. This happened in the implementation of PPLN technical guidance (bimtek) in The Hague.

"The defendant invited CAT to visit the hotel to talk in the hotel room, but the defendant persuaded and persuaded him to have sex," said Ratna Dewi, in the DKPP Main Session Room, Wednesday, July 3.

At first CAT continued to refuse, but Hasyim still forced the complainant to have sex. "In the end, the sexual relationship happened," said Ratna Dewi.

"Based on the description of these facts, DKPP considers that there has been a sexual relationship between the defendant and the complainant, on October 3, 2023, in accordance with evidence from P15A, P15B, P15C, P16, P20, and P21," concluded Ratna Dewi.

Hasyim Asy'ari's mode of inviting the victim to have sex began when Hasyim sent information and bimtek material that should have been internal to the victim. DKPP considers this action a violation of ethics because the material is important and confidential, as evidenced by the instructions "see secret for your eyes only" and "not for share" in Hasyim Asy'ari's WhatsApp message.

"Regarding the implementation of technical guidance, the discussion must be internal, between the chairman and members of the KPU it is not appropriate to convey to the complainant who is a member of PPLN, especially accompanied by a WhatsApp message, keep secret for your, eyes only, and not forhar," said Ratna Dewi Pettalolo.

Furthermore, Haysim established intense communication with CAT. One of the unethical discussions carried out by Hasyim occurred on August 12, 2023. At that time, CAT asked Hasyim to bring items left behind in Jakarta during a visit to the Netherlands.

However, there is one piece of underwear (CD) that is not included in the CAT's deposit list, Hasyim argued that the item was tucked away.

The defendant agreed to the complainant's request and sent a list of items entrusted by the complainant in the form of a PPLN vest, one piece of clothes, one piece of underwear (CD). The complainant asked what was meant by the CD, even though the item was not included in the items entrusted by the complainant, the defendant replied jokingly 'oh, sorry it was tucked away'," said Ratna Dewi.