THIS WEEK'S HEADLINES

Monday, July 6th, 2015

Selection Committee (Pansel) of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Leadership announced 194 names of candidates who qualified for the administrative requirements out of 611 registrants. Furthermore, the Pansel asked for public response about track records of the announced names to be included as consideration materials for selection. Feedback inputs will open for one month, from July 4 to August 3 at the website www.setneg.go.id.

The House of Representatives (DPR) insisted to propose their aspiration fund initiative, despite the President open rejection. In fact, DPR scheduled to deliberate the proposal with the government and DPR Budget Committee in August.

A former mayor of Makassar, Ilham Arief Sirajuddin, failed to attend a questioning scheduled by KPK. His legal team asked KPK to schedule questioning after his pre-trial appeal has been resolved.

An official of the West Java Provincial Administration Asep Sukarno, previously named as suspect in a local budget corruption case, was picked up by Cirebon District Attorney office after missing out of his examination schedule for the third time.

Tuesday, July 7th, 2015

The Attorney General Office (AGO) had prohibit Yudi Kristiana, a state attorney detailed as KPK prosecutor, to run for KPK leadership. The Attorney General consider Yudi to be a junior attorney and had not asked for his administrative superior's permission before registering.

Again, KPK scheduled a questioning for former Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali (SDA). He would be questioned as a suspect in an alleged corruption of Hajj administration at the Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag).

The District Attorney (Kejari) of Mukomuko, Bengkulu, has permitted local officials to use cars confiscated from criminal investigations against corruption suspects.

Wednesday, July 8th, 2015

Analysts doubts the commitment and spirit of KPK leadership candidates coming from the Police Force (Polri) and AGO, since both offices had conflicts with KPK in the past.

DPR appear to no longer pursue their proposal on constituency-based aspiration fund, after President Joko Widodo firmly and openly rebuff the proposal.

The Press Council is looking to find a resolution on a case of alleged defamation reported by a Professor of Law at Universitas Padjadjaran, Romli Atmasasmita, within the realm of press ethics since the case was based on press coverage published in Tempo, Kompas and The Jakarta Post.

Thursday, July 9, 2015

The Constitutional Court officially legalize political dynasty in local elections. Political dynasty is where a candidate have blood relation, including in-laws, with the local leader, like the regent or governor.

190 candidates of KPK leaders underwent on the spot tests on academic potential and paper writing. Most participants were caught off guard since they thought the test will focus on their understanding and views about combating corruption.

A presidential initiative to issue regulations and instructions about anti-criminalization of public officials was promptly criticized by anti-corruption activists to be highly prone for abuse of power to expedite corruption.

Two Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) activists, Emerson Yuntho and Adnan Topan Husodo, disregard a second subpoena from Police Criminal Investigation Unit (Bareskrim) investigators for questioning in a case reported by Prof. Romli Atmasasmita since they are still processing Romli's report to the Press Council.

Friday, July 10, 2015

KPK execute an ambush operation (OTT) on three judges from the District Administrative Court (PTUN) of Medan, North Sumatera, while receiving bribes to influence a corruption trial of social assistance funds at the local government. The thee judges was presiding over an indictment on a summoning letter issued by the High Attorney of North Sumatera for the Chief of Finance Bureau at the North Sumatera Provincial Office, Fuad Lubis.

The presiding judge at South Jakarta District Court ruled against the second pre-trial appeal filed by former Mayor of Makassar, Ilham Arief Sirajuddin. The judge stated that KPK investigators and prosecuters acted lawfully and their evidence were legally sufficient to name Ilham as a suspect of corruption.

KPK prosecutors reveal new facts that Sutan Bhatoegana allegedly received USD 10,000 or approximately IDR 133.2 million at current exchange rates in his capacity as parliamentarian who was a member of a panel reviewing the 2013 budget revision (APBN-P 2013) involving the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) and Commission VII of DPR.

Supreme Court Judge Hatta Ali wishes to revoke Judicial Commission's (KY) authority by amending the 1945 Constitution (UUD 45). MA asserted that KY had repressed judicial authority.

ICW released their background tracking results of KPK leader candidates with around 65% of candidates lacking a clear track record. Together with the civil society coalition on KPK leader selection monitoring, ICW demanded Pansel KPK to release more data about the candidates to allow the public to provide better feedback.

KEY DEVELOPMENTS

July 6

• Pansel KPK announced 194 names of candidates who qualify from administration selection

• Ilham Arief Sirajuddin missed questioning scheduled by KPK

July 7

• Yudi Kristiana's KPK candidacy prohibited by AGO

• KPK investigators will carry firearms

• KPK arrested Regent of Empat Lawang and his wife

July 8

• KPK investigators terrorized

• DPR yielded aspiration fund proposal

• Novel Baswedan questioned, again

• Press Council to help resolve Romli's report with press ethics

July 9

• MK legalize political dynasty in local elections

• KPK leader candidates underwent objective tests and paper writing

• ICW activists disregard second subpoena from Bareskrim.

• Governor of Bengkulu questioned by National Police in an alleged corruption of Bengkulu Public Hospital's (RSUD) salary payments

July 10

• KPK arrested three administrative court judges of Medan

• South Jakarta District Court turned down second pretrial petition by Ilham Arief Sirajuddin

• KPK released new facts that Sutan allegedly received a USD 10,000 bribery

• MA wants to dissolve KY

• Bareskrim probe roles of three potential suspects on UPS case

IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS

First Phase Selection of KPK Leader Candidates

The selection of Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) leader candidates (commissioners) have passed the administrative phase. The Selection Committee (Pansel KPK) announced 194 names out of 611 registrants that passed the first selection and can now participate on the next phases – only 23 among them are women and the majority 171 names are men.

http://nasional.kompas.com/read/2015/07/04/17074841/Inilah.194.Orang.yang.Lolos.Seleksi.Awal.Calon.Pimpinan.KPK

As widely covered in the news, Pansel KPK organize several phases in their search of KPK leaders. In the first phase, this includes registration, administrative selection and announcement (first phase), public feedback on first phase candidates, paper writing about past experiences as well as views on prevention and prosecution of corruption, and paper review by Pansel KPK.

The second phase includes the announcement of Phase 2, profile assessment and final assessment. The third phase includes the announcement of Phase 3, interview about KPK legal bases by Pansel KPK and final assessment. The final phase includes the announcement of selected candidates and submitting report to President Joko Widodo, before the candidates go through a fit and proper test at the House of Representatives (DPR).

http://www.rmol.co/read/2015/05/27/204091/Inilah-Tahapan-Seleksi-Calon-Pimpinan-KPK-

According to Pansel KPK's announcement, registrants having professional background as advocates dominate the first phase selection of KPK leaders for this period. The table below show a complete map of professional background.

Source: Official statement of Pansel KPK

In response to the announcement of first phase candidates, civil society groups demanded that Pansel KPK put emphasis on candidates that have integrity, capacity, independence and without conflict of interest. Pansel are also asked to be cautious when assessing candidates that have affiliation with political parties.

In addition, Pansel KPK need to establish more specific and tight criterion on candidates coming from the Police Force (Polri) and Attorney General Office (AGO) since both are known to have been in conflict repeatedly with KPK.

http://www.voaindonesia.com/content/panitia-seleksi-diminta-buat-indikator-ketat-untuk-capim-kpk/2853095.html

Most recently, Pansel KPK have completed the written test with each candidate answering a multiple-choice questionnaire and writing a paper. Pansel will announce their review of this test on July 14, 2015. News outlets reported that Pansel caught several candidates cheating during this test, thus Pansel will automatically disqualify these candidates.

http://nasional.kompas.com/read/2015/07/10/10581921/Pansel.Diskualifikasi.Sejumlah.Capim.KPK.yang.Mencontek

With regards to the announced candidates, Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) released an interim track record findings with several conclusions. First, 23 candidates are considered negative to the corruption eradication agenda, meaning this names have previously oppose KPK in their position as law enforcers, parliamentarians or advocates. Second, ICW found 25 names who are considered to have active contribution on the corruption eradication agenda. Third, 19 names are found to have no past experience related to corruption eradication agenda whatsoever. And fourth, 127 names have no publicly accessible information about their background, thus no way of telling whether they are positive or negative to the corruption eradication movement.

http://news.liputan6.com/read/2269606/icw-12-dari-194-capim-kpk-negatif-pemberantasan-korupsi

ICW asserted that civil society will continue to trace the track records of KPK leader candidates. In this regard, ICW participate actively in the Coalition of Civil Society for Anti-Corruption, that have opened public reporting posts in several provinces. The coalition are gathering public feedback about KPK leader candidates. They expect Pansel KPK to include the information gathered as assessment materials in selecting the next anti-corruption champions who can tackle the current challenges of the corruption eradication agenda.

http://www.tribunnews.com/nasional/2015/07/09/koalisi-masyarakat-sipil-buka-posko-pengaduan-calon-pimpinan-kpk