Nobody Refuses Artidjo Alkostar To Be The KPK Supervisory Board

Artidjo Alkostar (doc. VOI)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo mentioned a number of names who are currently being nominated to be the Supervisory Board of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). Of the several names, the most interesting is the name of the former Supreme Court (MA) judge Artidjo Alkostar.

The KPK, which was initially skeptical of the supervisory board, then responded to the inclusion of the name Artidjo Alkostar. KPK chairman Agus Rahardjo, for example, said that Artidjo, who was often feared by corruptors at the Supreme Court level, was fit to take the position because of his actions.

"Anyway, if the person is credible, that's okay. That's fine," Agus told reporters at the KPK building, South Jakarta, Wednesday, December 18.

Not only Agus, the head of the KPK Employee Council, Yudi Purnomo, also welcomed Artidjo's name as a candidate for the supervisory board. In addition, they also welcomed a number of other candidates, such as former KPK chairman Taufiequrachman Ruki, and judge Albertina Ho. According to him, these names have quite good integrity.

"The KPK WP welcomes if the two names circulating, namely Pak Artidjo Alkostar and Mrs. Albertina Ho, will become the Supervisory Board appointed by President Jokowi," Yudi told reporters.

Apart from having integrity, these two names are considered to have anti-corruption attitudes. Especially Artidjo, who often gave harsh punishments for criminals.

"Especially Pak Artidjo Alkostar, who is known to be a scourge for corruptors and does not hesitate to severely punish him," said Yudi.

According to Yudi, the KPK staff forum has hopes that President Jokowi can choose the right person. Moreover, this council will have enormous duties and authority in supervising the performance of the KPK. In addition, this council will also be authorized to hold hearings to investigate suspected violations of the code of ethics of KPK leaders and employees.

Reflecting on these duties and authorities, Yudi and all KPK employees hope that they will be filled with people who are assertive and brave to carry out ethical checks on KPK leaders who make mistakes or hinder the investigation of cases.

"Once again, in the absence of a Perppu and JR's decision in the Constitutional Court, at least the KPK Supervisory Board must be filled with people with high integrity, anti-corruption, and independence even though the President was directly appointed in the election process," he said.

When the KPK was running, Jokowi's consistency was questioned

Although there are names such as Artidjo Alkostar and Albertina HO, University of Indonesia legal expert Abdul Fickar Hadjar thinks Jokowi is inconsistent with his statement. This is because Jokowi has to wait for the results of the judicial review decision at the Constitutional Court to issue the KPK Perppu.

"If the KPK Perppu is waiting for a judicial review decision, the formation of the supervisory board should also wait for that decision," Fickar told VOI via text message, Wednesday, December 18.

According to him, rather than selecting candidates for the KPK supervisory board, President Jokowi should immediately issue a Perppu so that this institution can move independently.

Because, Fickar considered, the council was a form of government intervention against law enforcement officials. Evidently, this council was appointed directly by the President and would later become an accomplice to the president as executive power.

"Dewas is not a judicial or judicial authority so it does not have the judicial authority to grant wiretapping or search and confiscation permits," he said.

Whereas in the old KPK Law, commissioners are law enforcers as investigators and prosecutors. But with the KPK Law 19/2019, now the authority as law enforcer is actually taken by the KPK Supervisory Board.

"Therefore Jokowi should have issued a Perppu to restore the position of the KPK as an independent institution," concluded Fickar.