OTT Basarnas Ends Polemic, Bambang Widjojanto Asks Firli Bahuri Et Al To Resign From The KPK

KPK Chairman Firli Bahuri (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Former head of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Bambang Widjojanto asked KPK Chairman Firli Bahuri and four of his representatives to resign from his position. This request arose because the National SAR Agency (Basarnas)'s hand arrest operation (OTT) led to a polemic.

"We and the eradication of corruption are on the verge of being restored and humiliated by institutions that are actually the most responsible and mandated as corruption eradication institutions," Bambang said in a written statement quoted on Monday, July 31.

Bambang then highlighted the statement by the Deputy Chairperson of the KPK Johanis Tanak who apologized and said there was a mistake in the silent operation. He said, there were many legal arguments that could be used by the head of the anti-corruption commission rather than blaming him, his subordinates were active in taking action and also appointed the Head of the National SAR Agency (Kabasarnas) Marshal Henri Alfiandi.

One of the rules mentioned by Bambang is Law Number 19 of 2019 concerning the Corruption Eradication Commission or the KPK Law and Law No. 29 of 2014 concerning Search and Rescue.

"KPK leadership Johanis Tanak's statement that the OTT and the determination of the suspect is the Chairman of Basarnas by stating that there is a mistake and negligence by accusing the investigative team of error is wrong, naive, ridiculous, absurd and does not have a solid basis for arguments. Likewise, when the OTT case was declared submitted to the TNI, it was not the KPK that handled it," he explained.

With these various conditions, BW asked the KPK leadership to be declared a mistake. In fact, if necessary, it is declared a violation of ethics so that the institution's muruah is not doubted by the public.

"The actions of the KPK leadership as outlined are used as the basis for punishing the KPK leadership to resign or be dismissed. This can be done by the President of the Republic of Indonesia through an initial examination conducted by the KPK Supervisory Board which involves informal leaders whose integrity is unquestionable again," he said.

As previously reported, the Basarnas OTT polemic emerged after the TNI Puspom expressed objections when the KPK appointed Henri together with the Kabasarnas Administrative Coordinator (Koorsmin) Lt. Col. Afri Budi Cahyanto as a suspect. This step is considered to have violated military regulations.

Furthermore, Deputy Chairperson of the KPK Johanis Tanak apologized for the determination. He said investigators and investigators made a mistake.

Meanwhile, Henri was named a suspect in the aftermath of a hand arrest operation (OTT) in Cilangkap, Jakarta and Jatisampurna, Bekasi on Tuesday, July 24.

Henri is suspected of having earned a fee or so-called command fund of up to IDR 88.3 billion. The money was pocketed by a private party who wanted to work on projects at his institution from 2021-2023 through Koorsmin Kabasarnas Afri Budi Cahyanto.