Exploring The Decrease In The Number Of KPK OTTs Since The Enactment Of The New Law

KPK Building (Wardhany Tsa Tsia/VOI)

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has denied that there were no hand-catching operations (OTT) due to the enactment of the KPK Law Number 19 of 2019 on 17 October. According to KPK Chairman Agus Rahardjo, even though the new rules are already in effect, the OTT can still be implemented.

"Absolutely not because of the law. If the law still allows. Moreover, the transition of the law is valid for two years," said Agus to reporters at the KPK building, South Jakarta, Wednesday, December 18.

According to him, the absence of silent operations is the activity of the public's most attention because there are no cases that require urgency to be handled immediately and the evidence is also immature so that it can create pretrial potential.

"If yesterday there was a ripe (proof) yes it could be. But yesterday nothing was ripe," he said.

Apart from that, Agus also said that there were a few technical problems. He said the problem was related to the server replacement which took two weeks. This server change made monitoring of wiretapping warrants (Sprindap) ineffective.

Even so, Agus said that currently the process was complete. So it is not impossible that before December 20 or the inauguration of the new KPK leadership, there will be a silent operation. However, the evidence to carry out this operation must be mature.

"Yes, maybe. Could be later," he said.

Hundreds of numbers are still being tapped by the KPK

Regarding wiretapping, KPK Deputy Chairman Alexander Marwata said this could still be done. Moreover, there is no KPK Supervisory Board which later has the authority to approve this matter. Alex even said that there are still hundreds of numbers that are currently being monitored by the anti-graft agency to investigate corruption cases.

"The wiretaps are still there, there are still some. There are 200-300 numbers that we are still tapping," said Alex at the same place, Wednesday, December 18.

Hundreds of these numbers have been tapped by the KPK since several months ago. Long before the KPK Law 19/2019 came into effect, so there were no obstacles in doing so. Alex is also optimistic that even though the KPK Supervisory Board is in place and the new law is fully implemented, wiretapping will continue to run even though the supervisory board has approved it.

"There is no obstacle for us to do wiretapping. Only later if after there is a supervisory board they will have to approve them. Only now it is not there yet, so the leadership has signed it to continue. It has no business," he said.

Based on Law Number 19 of 2019, amendments to the KPK Law, it is stated that five KPK Supervisory Boards will replace the authority of the KPK leadership in approving investigations, confiscations and wiretaps.

A number of names reportedly included in the supervisory board candidate market include former Supreme Court Justice Artidjo Alkostar, Judge Albertina Ho, and former KPK Chairman Taufiequrachman Ruki.

Later, the five members of the KPK Supervisory Board will be inaugurated together with the five KPK commissioners for 2019-2023 on December 20.