E-KTP case: KPK, beware of political attacks

JAKARTA. The ongoing trial of an alleged graft case related to the electronic identity card (e-KTP) procurement project, in which prosecutors mentioned names of figures with strong political influences in Indonesia, has forced Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) former deputy chairman Busyro Muqoddas to speak up.

He said when he was still serving as the commission’s deputy chairman, the KPK had begun to investigate the e-KTP case through law enforcement measures.

“In the case, there were signs of corruption, in which it had become a dark and dirty business objective of bureaucrats, House of Representatives members, business players and middlemen,” Busyro said as quoted by tempo.co.

He said the KPK leaders had recommended the government not continue an e-KTP design proposed by the Home Affairs Ministry, which was led by Gamawan Fauzi at the time. “KPK leaders recommended an e-KTP that would function in multiple ways as a system identity number (SIN),” said Busyro.

He further said the multifunctional e-KTP was proposed to create election security, which would not enable the use of fake IDs.  

Busyro reminded all KPK leaders: “Political attacks [against the commission] have begun to appear, including through an attempt to revise the 2002 KPK Law without arguments and legal reasoning, aiming to hinder it.”

Busyro said it now depended on KPK leadership to prove their loyalty to the organization as a professional independent institution. “I think civil society of our democracy will support the KPK,” he said. (mrc/ebf)