Questioning Jokowi's Anti-Corruption Attitude After Granting Annas Maamun's Clemency

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo has granted clemency to the convicted corruption convict in the land conversion of Annas Maamun. The former Governor of Riau was originally sentenced to seven years, but now his prison term is cut for a year after being granted clemency in accordance with Presidential Decree number 23 / G of 2019 concerning the granting of clemency.

The Head of Public Relations and Protocol at the Directorate General of Corrections, Ade Kusmanto, said that the granting of clemency to Annas, which was set for October 25, was carried out on the basis of humanity.

"The consideration is that he is over 70 years of age. Currently the person concerned is 78 years old and is suffering from prolonged illness," said Ade in a written statement, Tuesday, November 26.

Ade then detailed the various illnesses Annas suffered from. From the doctor's information, it is known that the former head of this region has POPK (Acute COPD), dysepsia syndrome (depression), gastritis (stomach), hernias, and shortness of breath so he needs to use oxygen at all times.

For this reason, Jokowi was then willing to grant clemency as proposed by Annas. Moreover, based on Article 6A paragraph 1 and 2, Law Number 5 of 2010, for the sake of humanity, the Minister of Law and Human Rights has the authority to examine and implement the process of filing for clemency.

"Then the president can grant clemency after considering written legal considerations from the Supreme Court and the Minister of Law and Human Rights," said Ade.

Various attitudes responded to this clemency, one of which was the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). Through KPK spokesman Febri Diansyah, this anti-graft agency admitted that he was surprised because of the case that ensnared Annas, his party had just named three new suspects in March 2019.

The three suspects are a corporation, namely PT Palma Satu and two others, Suheri Terta as the Legal Manager of PT Duta Palma Group in 2014 and Surya Darmadi as the owner of PT Darmex Group / PT Duta Palma.

In addition, the KPK assessed that Annas' actions had a big impact on the environment. "We need to understand, corruption that occurs in the forestry sector has a bigger impact on the forest itself, the environment and the public interest for a healthy environment," said Febri.

The former anti-corruption activist said that in the KPK's study in the field of prevention, there were three findings of problems that could open up corruption cases. The details of the study are the uncertainty of the status of forest areas - legal but not legitimate (new determination 68.29 percent of 125.9 million ha (KLHK, 2017) - the determination cannot be a way of resolving conflicts), permits for natural resources that are prone to bribery or extortion. In 2013, the KPK calculated that for one large HPH / HTI permit the potential for corrupt transactions ranged from 688 million to 22.6 billion rupiah each year.

In addition, the KPK also said that the benefits of natural resources (SDA) did not reach the community. Febri explained, there is an imbalance in management by large-scale interests. Only 3.18 percent of SDA is allocated for small scale designation.

Although surprised by the clemency granting and issuing a number of studies related to environmental corruption, the KPK admits that it respects President Jokowi's decision.

In addition, the KPK will study the letter first. "While respecting the President's authority to provide pardon (clemency) to the convicted corruption convict Annas Maamun in this case, the KPK will study the letter sent by the Sukamiskin Prison," said Febri.

Understand Jokowi's anti-corruption stance which is starting to fade

If the KPK respects Jokowi's decision regarding clemency, then Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) will not. This anti-corruption organization immediately criticized Jokowi's attitude. ICW researcher Kurnia Ramadhana said that his party was not surprised by the granting of clemency to criminals like the former Governor of DKI Jakarta.

Moreover, ICW sees Jokowi's commitment to anti-corruption as unclear so that in the future this kind of thing should begin to be understood.

"This attitude of President Joko Widodo must be tolerated, because from the start the President did not have a clear anti-corruption commitment at all. So if the public has heard the anti-corruption narrative spoken by the president, that is just nonsense," said Kurnia through his written statement, Wednesday, November 27th.

The assessment of Jokowi's unclear commitment regarding this anti-corruption stance, said Kurnia, was not without evidence. He explained that in 2019, there were three decisions taken by the former mayor of Solo and they were against the spirit of anti-corruption. First, Jokowi approved the election of the KPK leadership with a bad track record.

Second, Jokowi actually approved the revision of the KPK Law which weakened the DPR and broke promises to issue a Government Regulation in lieu of the KPK Law or Perpu KPK.

Flashback to the case of Annas Maamun, the former Governor of Riau who served from February to September 2014, which was initiated through an operation to catch hands in the same year. He was arrested in Cibubur, East Jakarta along with nine other people.

After the title of the case, the KPK named the former Golkar Party politician as a suspect in receiving a Rp. 2 billion bribe related to the conversion of 140 hectares of oil palm land in Kuanten Singingi Regency, Riau Province.

This case dragged the name of the then Minister of Forestry, Zulkifli Hasan. Annas said that he had met with PAN politicians at his home to discuss the proposed revision of forest area changes in Riau.

Furthermore, the Panel of Judges at the Bandung Corruption Court sentenced Annas to a sentence of 6 years in prison and a fine of Rp. 200 million, a subsidiary of 2 months in prison. After the verdict, he then filed an appeal. As a result, Annas was instead sentenced to 7 years in prison.

In this case, he was proven to have received a bribe of US $ 166,100 from Gulat, the Manurung Gold Medal and Edison Marudut. In addition, Annas was proven to have received a prize money of Rp. 500 million from Gulat in order to win Edison's PT Citra Hokiana Triutama in implementing the project at the Riau Province Public Works Office.