Dismissing Politicization Issues, KPK Is Advised To Hold Hasto Kristiyanto

Photo caption: Hasto Kristiyanto after undergoing examination at the KPK, Jakarta, Monday 10 June 2024. (ANTARA PHOTO/Asprilla Dwi Adha)

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has named the Secretary General of the PDI-P, Hasto Kristiyanto, as a suspect in the bribery case of PAW Harun Masiku. Hasto is suspected of being a bribe donor worth Rp600 million to former KPU Commissioner Wahyu Setiawan to pass Harun Masiku as a member of the Indonesian House of Representatives for the 2019-2024 period.

In addition, Hasto allegedly ordered Harun to submerge his cellphone into the water to eliminate traces of the January 2020 hand arrest operation (OTT). He is also said to have silenced a number of witnesses so as not to provide true information to investigators.

However, the anti-corruption commission has not yet detained Hasto. This raises questions for the Criminal Law expert and the Legal Anthropology of Brawijaya University, Fachrizal Afandi.

"After being named a suspect, the KPK immediately made efforts to detain Hasto. If the KPK is the correct law enforcer, after determining the suspect, he will be immediately arrested and detained," he said, Sunday, December 29, 2024.

According to Fachrizal, the KPK should have learned from the law enforcement carried out by the Attorney General's Office, which would immediately detain someone after naming a suspect. This is because the KPK's steps that seem slow in the legal process involving Hasto actually raise suspicions of indications of politicization.

"Just once there is an order, don't arrest it first, it's all open later. Now it means showing that the KPK is not independent. To dismiss such assumptions, it would be better if the KPK immediately arrested and detained Hasto Kristiyanto," he added.