Early History Of Efforts To Weaken The KPK, Cicak Versus Buaya

The Corruption Eradication Commission or the KPK has tried to weaken several times. (Between/Fianda Sofjan Rassat)

JAKARTA - The presence of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) was greeted with great fanfare. The Indonesian side hopes that corrupt officials can be eradicated optimally. The KPK began to hone its spurs. Instead of developing smoothly, the KPK's steps were thwarted.

The anti-corruption agency tried to be dwarfed by Susno Duadji. The figure who served as the Head of the Criminal Investigation Agency (Kabareskrim) from the 2008-2009 era identified the KPK as a cicak. The police are crocodiles. Susno said: How come you want to fight crocodiles.

The practice of corruption in Indonesia has been going on since Indonesia's independence. Actions are detrimental to the state because there is no set of rules that make corrupt officials afraid. They continue to perpetuate their actions.

The practice of corruption is not done alone, but in groups. Corruption is increasingly seeing during the New Order (Orba). The New Order government only understands the narrative that the government must not lose against the people, while with officials, a set of narratives does not apply.

Corruption is endemic. The Indonesian people also like to harvest their daily concerns. Everything began to find a bright spot when the New Order era changed the reform era. Since then efforts to eradicate corruption began to be discussed at a serious level.

Concern for corruption began to be expressed by concerned national figures. Let's Muhammad, one of them. The Minister of Finance of the 1993-1998 era, who was known clean, then asked the government to form a special institution to create an official who gave up corruption.

This wish was echoed by Bacharuddin Jusuf (BJ) Habibie. Habibie's brief power made the mandate to eradicate corruption only seriously discussed during the era of Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur) administration.

The owner of the 'That's why it's a hassle' then laid an important foundation related to the presence of the KPK. He wrote and signed a letter to the DPR. The letter, numbered R-13/PU/VI/2001, contains an introductory narrative for the formation of the KPK Law dated June 5, 2001.

The new KPK was actually realized in the era of Megawati Soekarnoputri's administration on December 27, 2002. Gradually the KPK began investigating cases after corruption cases. Even though the first years were less than optimal.

Even though it has not been optimal and has drawn a lot of criticism, the KPK's steps in the last three years have continued to give a positive signal in the corruption eradication agenda. A number of people are starting to feel uncomfortable with the KPK. Even some institutions where corruption is difficult to touch by law enforcement officials are starting to feel threatened by the presence of the KPK. Therefore, efforts have begun to emerge to tame the KPK.

So far, a number of steps have been (and are) carried out as part of efforts to tame the KPK. For example, submitting a judicial review of a number of laws in the realm of eradicating corruption, including Law Number 30 of 2002 concerning the KPK. The existing notes, against the law, have been repeatedly submitted a judicial review to the Constitutional Court, "wrote Saldi Isra in the book Don't Kill KPK (2009).

The KPK is growing rapidly. Moreover, at the beginning of the government's power of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY). The authority given by the government to the KPK is quite large. Whoever is corrupt, the government will certainly provide space for the KPK to pursue corruptors.

Efforts to prevent corruption have also been perpetuated. The KPK fills many other popular seminars and events to perpetuate prevention efforts. From the school environment to government institutions. Public support to the KPK strengthens.

The KPK has become confident in guarding corruption cases in the country. However, the higher the tree, the stronger the wind hits. That's how the KPK faces. The issue of weakening the KPK began to be widely heard.

This effort was evident when the KPK began to drag Kabaresrim, Susno Duadji in two corruption cases at once in 2009. The security corruption case in the West Java gubernatorial election and the PT Salmah Arowana Lestari (SAL) case belonging to Anggado Widjojo.

Susno Duadji felt that his cell phone was tapped by other law enforcers. This condition made the Police furious. The KPK is considered to have wiretapped not according to procedures and regulations. The police also examined the Deputy Chairperson of the KPK, Chandra Hamzah.

Susno thought that the National Police would lose their dignity if they did not take action against people who violated the law. The case then got the attention of the national mass media. Mainly Tempo Magazine.

Tempo journalist Anne L. Handayani, Ramidi, and Wahyu Dhyatmika met Susno and interviewed her. Susno's interview that mentions Cicak (KPK) and Police (Buaya) went viral during the July 6, 2009 edition of Tempo Magazine was published.

Susno's personalization was criticized by the public. The general audience considered Susno to belittle and demeaning to the KPK. Therefore, the spirit of support for the KPK has emerged everywhere. Various groups support the KPK and condemn the actions of the Police to weaken the KPK. From activists to public celebrities. Even that incident was known as the first volume of the cicak versus crocodile.

If people are prejudiced, I shouldn't be angry, because this position (Kabareskrim) is strategic. But I'm sorry, how come there are still stupid people. How come it's not stupid, something he can't possibly do, how come he's looking for."

"When compared, it's like, here the crocodile is funny. How come it's funny to fight the crocodile. Are the crocodiles angry? No, I'm just sorry: The weather is still stupid. We're the ones who have asked for it, but how come it hasn't been around for so many years. How come you've been given power, you're looking for something that you won't get anything, explained Susno in her interview with the tempo entitled Cicak, how come you want to fight Crocodiles (2009).