KPK split becoming public

JAKARTA. The split within the leadership of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has worsened in recent days and could weaken its antigraft efforts in the future.

Only days after the dismissal of the KPK director of investigations, Brig. Gen. Yurod Saleh, who was alleged to have close ties with graft defendant M. Nazaruddin, reports emerged that four more investigators would be transferred back to their institutions. The four investigators are Hendy Kurniawan, Mochammad Irwan Susanto and Afief Miftach from the Attorney General’s Office (AGO), and Dwi Aries Sudarto from the police.

The four investigators were reported to have refused to follow orders from KPK chairman Abraham Samad. Tensions rose after the four investigators were said to have sought support from deputy chairmen Bambang Widjojanto and Busyro Muqoddas.

KPK spokesman Johan Budi confirmed that a number of investigators complained to KPK leaders several days ago, but he denied the complaints were related to cracks within the KPK leadership.

Johan said the meeting between investigators and KPK leaders was only to discuss work.

A source told The Jakarta Post that the KPK leadership was split into two camps, between Abraham and Zulkarnain on one side, and Bambang and Busyro on the other. Another KPK leader, Adnan Pandu Pradja, is currently receiving treatment for cancer.

The source said the spat between KPK members has gotten worse in recent days, as Abraham has often pulled rank when being told by investigators that he must follow proper procedures before naming a suspect.

Abraham was reported to have insisted on naming high-profile individuals as suspects quickly without building sufficiently strong cases against them, and instead putting the burden of prosecution on judges at the Jakarta Corruption Court.

Abraham, a little-known lawyer from South Sulawesi, was elected KPK chairman after a backroom deal was struck between the Golkar Party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) and the People’s Conscience Party (Hanura), a move which was seen as an attempt to secure their own interests.

This is not the first time splits within the KPK leadership have become public. In a meeting between the KPK and the House’s working group on the controversial Bank Century bailout case, Abraham said that he was ready to launch an investigation and name a suspect before turning to other KPK leaders to ask if they approved.

Febri Diansyah of Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) said the split within the KPK could deal a severe blow to the antigraft movement. “This is a warning to the KPK and the public that visible internal rifts could pose a threat to the current fight against corruption,” he said. “Certain parties could benefit from this infighting.”

Febri also warned the KPK leadership not to be so authoritarian in managing the strategic institution. “The KPK does not work in an authoritarian manner. Do not pull rank no matter how superior or senior the person is,” he said. “The five leaders and the rest must go back to collective, collegial leadership.”

Lawmakers from the House of Representatives Commission III on legal affairs said they would summon the KPK’s leaders over the reported split.

“We want the KPK to clarify the rumor because it has obviously affected its performance. We also want the KPK to tell us whether or not it has returned four more investigators to the National Police, because if it’s true, it does not portend well for our country,” commission chief Benny Kabur Harman said.

Rhenald Kasali, the former KPK leadership selection committee member, said the committee recommended the best candidates, but the House decided differently. “We submitted a list of eight candidates, numbered from top to bottom. Unfortunately, they picked some from the bottom of the list.”

“We submitted a list of eight candidates, numbered from top to bottom. Unfortunately, they picked some from the bottom of the list.”

Cracks within KPK

• During a fit and proper test in 2011, Abraham told lawmakers that a good KPK chairman was not supposed to tell everything to the public like incumbent chairman Busyro Muqoddas.
• A BlackBerry message claimed that KPK leaders were split over a plan to arrest Democratic Party chairman Anas Urbaningrum and Youth and Sports Minister Andi Mallarangeng. Abraham reportedly issued a warrant to arrest both suspects in the SEA Games graft scandal, but KPK deputies Bambang and Busyro refused to sign the warrant.
• In an open meeting between the House’s working group on the controversial Bank Century bailout case and the KPK, Abraham said that he was ready to investigate the case and name a suspect while he told lawmakers that he did not know the other four leaders’ stances.
• Abraham pulled rank in naming former senior deputy governor Miranda Goeltom and Democratic Party lawmaker Angelina Sondakh suspects in two different high-profile bribery cases. Several KPK investigators and prosecutors criticized his move, which was followed by the return former director of investigation Yurod Saleh to the National Police.

(Ina Parlina and Margareth S. Aritonang/ The Jakarta Post)