Muhamad Aulia, Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) has revealed that it has found three more former corruption convicts that have been nominated as legislative candidates (caleg) in the 2024 elections. This brings the total so far to 15 candidates from an earlier total of 12.
"There are three more former corruption convicts that have nominated themselves, both as members of the DPR [House of Representatives] as well as the DPD [Regional Representatives Council]", said ICW researcher Kurnia Ramadhana in a press release on Saturday August 26.
Ramadhana emphasised that the ICW's findings are limited to a cluster of candidates running for the DPR and DPD. He warned that there could well be more former corruption convicts that are in the process of nominating themselves as Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) members at the provincial, regency and municipal level.
"ICW is again urging the General Elections Commission (KPU) to immediately announce to the public the legal status of these potential caleg", said Ramadhana.
Below are the names of the 15 candidates based on ICW's findings. Nine of them are candidates for the DPR.
1. Abdullah Puteh (party list ranking 1 – National Democrat Party (Nasdem), Aceh II electoral district. Convicted over a corruption case involving the purchase of two helicopters while he was the Aceh governor.
2. Rahudman Harahap (party list ranking 4 0 – Nasdem), North Sumatra I electoral district. Convicted over a corruption case involving South Tapanuli Village officials' allowance when he was village secretary.
3. Abdillah (party list ranking 5 – Nasdem), North Sumatra I electoral district. Convicted in a case of corruption involving the procurement of fire engines and the misuse of the regional budget (APBD).
4. Budi Antoni Aljufri (party list ranking 9 -– Nasdem), South Sulawesi II electoral district. Convicted in a bribery case related to the handling of an election dispute in Empat Lawang regency.
5. Eep Hidayat (party list ranking 1 -– Nasdem), West Java IX electoral district. Convicted for collecting illegal fees related to land and property tax in Subang regency in 2005-2008.
6. Rokhmin Dahuri (party list ranking 1 – Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), West Java VIII electoral district. Convicted over a corruption case involving Department of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries non-budgetary funds.
7. Al Amin Nasution (party list ranking 4 -– PDI-P), Central Java VII electoral district. Convicted for receiving bribes from the Bintan regency regional secretary in the Riau Islands, Azirwan, who facilitated changes to the function of protected forest land in Bintan regency.
8. Nurdin Halid (party list ranking 2 -– Golkar Party), South Sulawesi II electoral district. Convicted in a corruption case involving the distribution of State Logistics Agency's (Bulog) cooking oil.
9. Susno Duadji (party list ranking 2 – National Awakening Party (PKB), South Sumatra II electoral district. Convicted in a corruption case involving security for the West Java 2009 regional elections and corruption related to the company PT Salmah Arowana Lestari.
In addition to this, there are six former corruption convicts that are candidates for the DPD.
1. Patrice Rio Capella (party list ranking 10), Bengkulu electoral district. Convicted by the Attorney General's Office for receiving gratuities in related to the handling of regional aid, outstanding profit-sharing funds and equity participation in Regional Government Owned Enterprises (BUMD) in North Sumatra.
2. Dody Rondonuwu (party list ranking 7), East Kalimantan electoral district. Convicted over a corruption case involving insurance funds belonging to 25 members of the 2000-2004 Bontang City DPRD (Rondonuwu was a Bontang City DPRD member at the time).
3. Irman Gusman (party list ranking 7), West Sumatra electoral district. Convicted in a bribery case involving the importation of sugar by Bulog.
4. Emir Moeis (party list ranking 8), East Kalimantan electoral district. Convicted in 2004 over a case of bribery involving a coal-fired power plant (PLTU) in Tarahan, Lampung province.
5. Cinde Laras Yulianto (party list ranking 3), Yogyakarta electoral district. Convicted in a corruption case involving 3 billion rupiah in retirement funds.
6. Ismeth Abdullah (party list ranking 8), Riau Islands electoral district. Convicted in a corruption case involving the procurement of fire engines in 2004, currently holds the position of Batam Authority head.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Bertambah, ICW Temukan 15 Mantan Napi Korupsi Jadi Caleg".]
