In early March 2018, KPK announced the recruitment for the positions of law enforcement deputy and director of investigation. The former position was held by Insp. Gen. Heru Winarko, who has been installed as the new head of National Narcotics Agency (BNN), while the latter by Brig. Gen. Aris Budiman, who decided to return to the headquarters of the Indonesian national police.

Law enforcement deputy and director of investigation play a central role in KPK’s work in fighting against corruption. KPK Regulation Number 1 of 2015 concerning the organization and governance of KPK states that the two positions are tasked to formulate and implement the policy on the conviction against criminal act of corruption, including on making decisions regarding how to proceed with a corruption case, conducting arrests and raids (Operasi Tangkap Tangan or OTT), and achieving synergy between KPK and other legal authorities.

In conducting the recruitment process, KPK utilizes independent third-party consultants, and at the moment an open tender is being put out to prospective consultants. After the winner for this tender is announced, the selection process for the candidates will begin which includes administrative, potential, language skills, competences, health, and integrity aspects. At the end of the process, each candidate will be interviewed by KPK deputy chairpersons.

Of the 13 candidates applying for the two positions, six come from the National Police and seven from the Attorney General’s Office. The National Police have nominated Brig. Gen. Toni Harmanto, Brig. Gen. Firli, and Brig. Gen. Abdul Hasyim Gani for the post of law enforcement deputy, and Sr. Comr. Edy Supriyadi, Sr. Comr. Andy Hartoyo, and Sr. Comr. Djoko Poerwanto for the post of director of investigation. The Attorney General’s Office have submitted Feri Wibisono, Fadil Zumhana, Heffinur, Wisnu Baroto, Oktovianus, Tua Rinkes Silalahi, and Witono to be considered for the law enforcement deputy post.

Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) has conducted a research on the candicates, and the preliminary findings show that several candidates have not reported their wealth, while some have not updated their official wealth reports (LHKPN). One candidate from the National Police, Brig. Gen. Toni Harmanto, allegedly took part in the forced detainment of five KPK investigators, all of whom were from the National Police and had chosen to be KPK permanent staff. He also arrested another KPK investigator who were handling the graft-tainted driving simulator procurement projectin October 2012.

Although KPK has worked closely with BNN and Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), each candicate’s track record needs to be reviewed closelythrough the input from the general public. The two central positions need to be filled by persons with integrity, honesty, and loyalty. Furthermore, KPK needs to ensure that the candidates will observe KPK codes of conduct. We do not want another repetition of Aris Budiman, who attended a controversial hearing with the House of Representatives' Special Inquiry Committee without the consent of KPK leaders.

It should be clear that the much coveted positions do not belong to certain agencies. KPK has to give open chances to the public to get candidates who fulfill all of the selection criteria, not those who are forcefully submitted by other agencies. The paradigm that certain positions belong to other legal authorities needs to be eradicated. Finally, the recruitment process has to be conducted in an open and accountable manner in order to get the best people for the positions. (Dewi/Adnan)