Corruption eradication efforts right now are alarming. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), which was historically intended to operate independently as a response to public distrust in the prosecution and police institutions, is now far from meeting expectations, especially after the revision of the KPK Law curtailed its powers.
Through Law No. 19/2019, KPK’s status is no longer independent but is placed under the executive branch, with its employees now classified as civil servants (ASN).
Therefore, it is crucial to restore KPK’s independence, which can be achieved through amendments to the law, strengthening supporting institutions, and reforming the system to move away from an institutional logic that is overly dependent on specific institutions.
This issue was discussed during a public discussion titled “KPK and the Future of Corruption Eradication” on Wednesday, Jul. 10, 2024, at the University Club (UC) Hotel, UGM.
The Center for Anti-Corruption Studies (PUKAT) of the UGM Faculty of Law (FH UGM) and Transparency International Indonesia (TII) organized the discussion.
The event featured several speakers, including Dr. Zainal Arifin Mochtar, Head of the Constitutional Law Department at FH UGM; Wawan Suyatmiko, Deputy Secretary-General of Transparency International Indonesia; and Wasingatu Zakiyah, Director of Caksana Institute.
Wawan Suyatmiko presented his research findings on KPK’s performance, which he believes is currently at its lowest point.
According to the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) Assessment, KPK’s performance significantly declined after the law revision, with most of the 50 indicators across six measurement dimensions showing a significant drop.
The largest decline occurred in the Independence and Status dimension, which fell by 55%, followed by the Cooperation and International Relations dimension, which decreased by 25%, and the Investigation and Prosecution dimension, which dropped by 22%.
“Other dimensions, including Human Resources and Budget, Accountability and Integrity, and Prevention, Education, and Outreach, also experienced declines,” he stated.
In response, Dr. Mochtar expressed his pessimism about the future of corruption eradication efforts, as the newly elected president has not addressed key variables for restoring the KPK’s independence, such as amending the KPK Law.
He emphasized that instead of relying too heavily on institutional frameworks, it would be better to strengthen supporting institutions and improve the system to break free from the institutional logic that relies too much on specific institutions and expects them to solve all problems.
“We must continue to fight through the KPK, but we should no longer always consider the KPK as the main factor in corruption eradication. Whether we like it or not, we must explore other avenues,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Zakiyah highlighted the importance of public participation in fighting corruption and reviving the KPK’s ‘Jumat Keramat’ (Sacred Friday) tradition.
Zakiyah argued that the public needs to monitor government processes, including regional head elections and the selection of KPK leadership, and pressure the government to take a firm stance against corruption.
“We need to be proactive and take a stand against the wrongdoings that have often been normalized,” Zakiyah explained.
Author: Leony
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Lintang