Samad risks undermining KPK integrity

JAKARTA. Anticorruption activists have expressed concern over speculation that Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman Abraham Samad might run for vice president in the July 9 presidential race, saying that it would call into question the antigraft body’s impartiality.

The speculation has intensified particularly after Samad himself made a statement suggesting that he had not rejected the idea of being paired with one of the presidential candidates.

“Abraham Samad must not be impulsive and decide too hastily [on running for vice president] because the growing speculation could hamper the KPK’s performance and undermine the country’s anti-corruption effort in general,” Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) coordinator Ade Irawan said on Sunday.

He acknowledged that running for elected office was every citizen’s constitutional right, “but Abraham Samad must be aware that, given his position as KPK chairman, he could put the KPK in jeopardy.”

The KPK’s ongoing investigations had implicated numerous politicians and Abraham’s presidential aspirations could lead him into conflicts of interest, Ade added.

Gadjah Mada University’s (UGM) Corruption Study Center (PUKAT) director Zainal Arifin Mochtar urged Samad to resign from his position at the KPK immediately, even though his vice presidential candidacy had not been confirmed.

“The KPK is fundamentally an independent body while political parties are partisan organizations. In Indonesia anyone running for president or vice president must be nominated by a political party, hence, having the intention to run makes you a member of a partisan group,” he said.

“Therefore, only having the intention to run for vice president, I think, is enough of a reason for Abraham Samad to resign because that would mean that he wants to join a partisan organization, which is not in line with the KPK’s spirit of impartiality,” Zainal added.

Samad has been widely touted as a potential vice presidential candidates given the KPK’s recent run of investigations that have netted several big fish.

It was the Gerindra Party that first openly voiced interest in pairing Samad with the party’s chief patron and presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto on the party’s presidential ticket. But many regard the move as merely a bid to shore up support for the party ahead of the April 9 legislative election.

The United Development Party (PPP) has also mentioned Samad’s name but only as one of nine figures the party deemed to be potential presidential candidates.

Speaking to reporters, last Wednesday, Samad indicated that he might consider joining Prabowo’s presidential bid. “Just give me time to perform istikharah [the prayer to seek guidance],” he said.

Samad added, “I have no intention [of becoming vice president]. It was like when I joined the KPK, I had no intention of becoming the KPK chairman. I don’t have the look to be KPK chairman, a president or a vice president,” he said.

“In my opinion, as an ordinary man, I cannot resist destiny. It was also destiny to become the KPK chairman, which I could not resist,” Samad said. “But I also have to ask for permission from the other KPK’s leaders and all of the commission’s employees. If they give their opinion and my prayers give me guidance, then I am ready to decide.”

Even though he denied any political parties had made approaches to him, his statements were immediately seized upon as signs of an implicit eagerness to be nominated as a vice presidential candidate. (Bagus BT Saragih and Haeril Halim)