Syakirun Ni'am, Ihsanuddin, Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) says that qualified figures wishing to become candidates for the leadership of the Corruption Eradication Commission (Capim KPK) still feel traumatized by the events of 2019.
As a consequence, the number of KPK candidate leaders that have registered for the period 2024-2029 is still minimal.
ICW researcher Kurnia Ramadhana said that at that time the KPK was weakened and the public was fooled by the sweet promises of the House of Representatives (DPR) with the claim it would strengthen the KPK Law.
"It turns out that it led to the deflation of the agency, both through the revisions to the KPK Law and the election of [new problematic] KPK leaders", Ramadhana said in a statement sent to Kompas.com on Tuesday July 2.
Not only that, figures who are considered competent no longer believe in the President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's commitment to eradicate corruption.
Moreover, the KPK's fate is considered uncertain under the next administration of president elect Prabowo Subianto and vice president elect Gibran Rakabuming Raka.
Therefore, ICW is asking the KPK leadership selection committee to intensively seek out competent figures to register as candidates for the next KPK leadership or the KPK Supervisory Board.
"We also hope that President Jokowi will speak out to ensure and guarantee that the selection process this time round will not again repeat the mistakes of the 2019 period", Ramadhana said.
Earlier, the deputy chairperson of the KPK leadership selection committee, Arief Satria, said that 10 people had registered as candidates for the leadership of the anti-graft agency.
In addition, there were 16 people who registered as candidates for the KPK Supervisory Board. This data is based on a recapitulation as of July 1.
"A recapitulation of registration as of July 1, 2024, as of 10 am, there were 10 people who registered as KPK Capim", said Ramadhana in a written statement to reporters on Monday July 1.
The term in office of the current KPK leadership will end in December 2024.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was " ICW Sebut Orang-Orang Kompeten Trauma dengan Pelemahan KPK 2019".]
