Novel Baswedan And Dozens Of KPK Employees Expelled, TII: Could Be A Bad Precedent For Corruption Eradication

Gedung KPK (Irfan Meidianto/VOI)

JAKARTA - Transparency International Indonesia (TII) Research Manager Wawan Suyatmiko assessed that the dismissal of senior investigator Novel Baswedan and dozens of other names from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) would set a bad precedent in efforts to eradicate violent crimes.

This was conveyed after the KPK leadership officially announced that it would dismiss 57 of its employees who were declared not to have passed the National Insight Test (TWK) because they could not change their status to State Civil Apparatus (ASN) at the end of September.

"Regarding the dismissal of a number of employees who incidentally are investigators and senior investigators who are handling major cases, this could set a bad precedent for the KPK in eradicating corruption," Wawan said when contacted by VOI, Friday, September 17.

This belief arises because the anti-corruption commission has not been aggressive in taking action against corruptors. In addition, Wawan is also worried that the expulsion of people who have been critical of Firli Bahuri et al will make the KPK leadership choose cases.

"They now have the authority to issue SP3 (Warrant for Termination of Investigation)," he said.

Furthermore, Wawan also considered that the decision to dismiss dozens of employees taken by the KPK leadership was too hasty. According to him, the KPK should wait for President Joko Widodo (Jokowi)'s decision in accordance with the decisions of the Supreme Court (MA) and the Constitutional Court (MK).

In addition, the KPK is also considered to have ignored the findings and recommendations of the Indonesian Ombudsman and Komnas HAM in which these two institutions said that employees who were declared not to have passed the TWK were restored to their rights and appointed as ASN. Basically, the implementation of the tests regulated through the KPK Perkom Number 1 of 2021 turned out to be maladministration and rights violations.

"The KPK leadership is also ignorant of the findings & recommendations of the Indonesian Ombudsman and Komnas HAM. As a leader of a state institution, he should respect the recommendations of other state institutions that are competent in their fields," said Wawan.

It was previously reported that 57 employees can no longer work at the KPK because they cannot become ASN according to the mandate of the KPK Law Number 19 of 2019. These employees include senior KPK investigators Novel Baswedan and Ambarita Damanik, Chairman of the KPK Employee Forum Yudi Purnomo, KPK investigator Harun Al-Rashid, as well as dozens of other names.

The anti-corruption commission argued that their inability to become ASN was not due to laws and regulations such as Perkom KPK Number 1 of 2021, but because of the results of their assessment.

Not only that, the KPK also ensures that employees have been given the same opportunity even though they have passed the age limit or have stopped being ASN before.