Ponorogo Regent Arrested By KPK, PDIP Confirms It Will Not Intervene

Chairman of the PDI-P Central Executive Board (DPP) Said Abdullah. (ANTARA/HO-PDI-P)

JAKARTA - After the Regent of Ponorogo, East Java, Sugiri Sancoko, who is also a PDI-P cadre, was arrested by the KPK on Friday, November 7, the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) of Struggle acknowledged that it respects the authority and process of the arrest operation (OTT) by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

Chairman of the PDI-P Regional Leadership Council (DPD) East Java Said Abdullah emphasized that his party upholds the independence of the KPK.

"As mandated by Mrs. Megawati Soekarnoputeri, the Chairperson of the PDI-P, we always uphold our integrity attitude. Thus it will not affect, let alone intervene in the legal process," Said said as quoted by ANTARA, Saturday, November 8.

However, he invited all parties to put forward the principle of presumption of innocence until Sugiri was found guilty through a legal decision that had permanent force by the court.

He emphasized that all ranks of the East Java PDI-P DPD believe that acts of corruption are a form of betrayal of people's trust because they have hurt the trust given by the people.

Therefore, Said supports the efforts of various parties, especially by the KPK in eradicating corruption.

Even so, the man who is also the Chairman of the PDI-P Central Executive Board (DPP) apologized to all residents of Ponorogo Regency for the arrest of Sugiri, who is also a PDI-P cadre.

"We apologize because the person concerned has not been fully trustworthy in leading, injures people's trust, and has not fully carried out his responsibility to bring the people of Ponorogo prosperous," he said.

He emphasized that this incident would be a reflection of the evaluation for the PDI-P DPD to continue to improve and improve in terms of cadre development so that similar incidents do not happen again in the future.

In addition, it is stated that his party will also improve the head election system and deputy regional heads so that they do not have expensive costs, which have the potential to make candidates elected to commit criminal acts of corruption.

Previously, the KPK revealed that Sugiri and six other people were being investigated intensively after being taken from Ponorogo to the KPK's Red and White Building, Jakarta, post-OTT.

"Seven people have arrived at the KPK's Red and White Building. Furthermore, the parties arrested in the arrest activity will be subjected to further intensive examinations," said KPK spokesman Budi Prasetyo to journalists in Jakarta, Saturday.

Budi said the seven people were brought from Ponorogo to Jakarta in two groups.

The first batch consists of Sugiri Sancoko, Regional Secretary of Ponorogo Regency Agus Pramono, President Director of Regional General Hospital dr. Harjono Ponorogo Yunus Mahatma, Head of Transfer Division of the Ponorogo Regional Secretariat, and two private parties.

Meanwhile, the second batch includes a confidant of the Ponorogo Regent with the initials KPU.