The Corruption Eradication COMMISSION (KPK) will enter a new phase, the KPK will look for new leadership candidates for the 2019-2023 term. Of course, this is not an easy matter because all eyes will be focused on the election of the new KPK, because this matter is very sensitive and President Joko Widodo’s leadership will be tested here. Choosing the wrong KPK leader will backfire on President Joko Widodo in the future because the public has high hopes for the KPK to eradicate all forms of corruption in this archipelago. The President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo has issued a Presidential Decree of the Republic of Indonesia Number 54/P of 2019 concerning the Establishment of a Selection Committee for Candidates for Leadership of the Corruption Eradication Commission for the 2019-2023 term of office. President Joko Widodo has appointed and selected 9 KPK Panel consisting of Dr. Yenti Ganarsih, S.H., M.H. as Chair and member, Prof. Dr. Indriyanto Senoadji, S.H., M.H. The Deputy Chairperson also serves as a member, and the members consist of Prof. Dr. Harkristuti Harkrisnowo; Prof. Dr. Marcus Priyo Gunarto, S.H., M.Hum.; Prof. Dr. Hamdi Moeloek; Dr. Diani Sadia Wati, S.H., LL.M.; Dr. Mualimin Abdi, S.H., M.H.; Hendardi, S.H.; Al Araf, S.H., M.T. The selection of this Pansel seems to have been a mature thought for the President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo. The nine choices of the KPK Pansel by President Joko Widodo have academic, practitioner, government, and non-government organization (NGO) backgrounds. The formation of this Pansel was to screen and propose names that would be selected by this Pansel which were then submitted to President Joko Widodo. Many have questioned the selection of Team 9, for example, it was stated that President Joko Widodo was more concerned about harmony and compromising the interests of elites in his closest circle rather than serious efforts to eradicate corruption. It should be noted that this decision gives a positive signal that President Joko Widodo is really serious about eradicating corruption in Indonesia, of course, the judgment against the members of the Panel is not appropriate because the process is ongoing and in that process, we are obliged to supervise every process that will take place. implemented by the KPK Select Committee Team in the future. Indeed, it is necessary to pay attention to the interests of the elite who want the Corruption Eradication Commission to remain in place, meaning that the Corruption Eradication Commission is expected to be sterile and not work effectively to eradicate corruption in Indonesia. However, hopefully, that doesn’t happen, we hope that the KPK Pansel Team will be able to answer these tough challenges, not be easily intervened by the interests of certain elites, and be able to select suitable and appropriate names to occupy the position of Chairman of the KPK. The selection of the KPK Pansel Team is very good and credible, this is said because those who sit on this team are already experts and have been tested in their respective fields and have quite diverse backgrounds. For example, there are those from well-known universities in Indonesia, namely Prof. Dr. Marcus Priyo Gunarto, S.H., M.Hum, is a professor of criminal law from the Faculty of Law, Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta and there is no doubt about his abilities and so does
with the others. We together agree to continue fighting and eradicating corrupt practices that still exist today. If there are some parties who still question the KPK Pansel team that was formed by President Joko Widodo, I don’t think it’s good because what we can now do is continue to provide information and input to the KPK Pansel team to work optimally to filter and select good and suitable names to become KPK leaders for the 2019-2023 period. It is no longer our domain to debate the background of Team Nine which has been determined, of course, the President has thought carefully about the formation of this KPK Panel. Since the KPK was founded until now, the KPK has been able to carry out its duties well, in the sense of achieving the expected performance which is still in the satisfactory category. This can be seen by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) succeeding in uncovering several major cases and carrying out arrest operations from officials to politicians. Indeed, several cases have not yet been resolved by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), but this is not the only measure that the Corruption Eradication Committee has not acted and carried out its duties well. We must continue to monitor and provide input to President Joko Widodo’s KPK Special Committee team so that it fulfills the aspirations of the Indonesian people. In this way, the KPK Pansel team will continue to work and always provide the best for the nation and state. Hopefully, the KPK Pansel team commanded by Dr. Yenti Ganarsih, S.H., M.H. is not driven by elite interests that can diminish the prestige of the KPK and there is no intervention from outside parties to pass and assist the candidates who apply to become KPK leaders for the 2019-2023 period.
The author is a Law Teaching Staff, at the Ganesha University of Education Singaraja
Dr. Dewa Gede Sudika Mangku, S.H., LL.M
