The South Jakarta (Jaksel) District Court accepted part of the pretrial petition submitted by the Governor of South Kalimantan (Kalsel) Sahbirin Noor or Uncle Birin. The KPK’s determination of Sahbirin Noor as a suspect in the project bribery case was declared invalid.
Researcher at the Anti-Corruption Study Center (SAKSI) at Mulawarman University (Unmul), Herdiansyah Hamzah alias Castro, admitted that he was not surprised that the Corruption Eradication Committee lost the pre-trial proposed by Uncle Birin.
“This defeat is actually not that surprising, in fact we predicted from the start that the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) would lose in this pretrial,” Castro told Media Indonesia, Tuesday (12/11).
Castro believes that there is a kind of acute disease within the KPK which seems to have lost its instinct or passion in eradicating corruption, so it is not optimal in uncovering corruption cases.
“This is a sign that the Corruption Eradication Commission has not carefully ascertained all the evidence, witnesses or things needed in the case disclosure process. This proves that the Corruption Eradication Committee is weak in this area,” he said.
Castro believes that the Corruption Eradication Commission also does not want to learn from its previous experience of losing several times in the pretrial process. He believes that the Corruption Eradication Commission should be able to return to being an institution that is feared by corruptors.
“In general, the situation occurs when the Corruption Eradication Committee loses everything after the revision of the Corruption Eradication Commission Law. It loses its passion, parent, embrace, all kinds of problems which make this institution weaker and of course benefit the corruptors when dealing with the Corruption Eradication Commission,” he said.
Previously, the South Jakarta District Court declared the suspect status of the Governor of South Kalimantan (Kalsel) Sahbirin Noor. This decision was based on the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) not examining the man known as Uncle Birin before the investigation was held.
“The examination as a potential suspect was not carried out by the respondent (KPK),” said Single Council Afrizal Hady at the South Jakarta District Court, Tuesday, November 12 2024.
The sole panel believes that law enforcers must examine Sahbirin before he is made a suspect. Uncle Birin’s claim of disappearance was ruled out by the judge.
The panel also assessed that the KPK was not serious about declaring Sahbirin a missing person. Because, there is no fugitive status on the wanted list (DPO).
“Based on the arguments of the applicant and respondent along with all the evidence, it turns out that there is nothing to show that the respondent issued a DPO determination letter,” said Afrizal.
Sahbirin was declared missing by the KPK. However, his name has not been included in the wanted list (DPO). The Anti-Corruption Agency believes that Uncle Birin is still in Indonesia.
The OTT in South Kalimantan is related to alleged fraud in giving gifts or promises to state officials. The Corruption Eradication Commission found IDR 12.1 billion from this coercive effort.
The KPK named seven suspects in the OTT in South Kalimantan. They are the Governor of South Kalimantan Sahbirin Noor, the Head of the South Kalimantan PUPR Department Ahmad Solhan, the Head of the Human Settlement Division Yulianti Erlynah, the administrator of the Tahfidz Darussalam House Ahmad, the Acting Head of the Household Division of the South Kalimantan Governor Agustya Febry Andrean, and two private parties Sugeng Wahyudi and Andi Susanto.
Only Uncle Birin has not been detained by the KPK because he was not caught. The remaining six have been languishing in the designated detention center for the first 20 days. (P-5)
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– How can the KPK regain public trust after recent criticisms of its operations?
**Interviewer**: Good afternoon, Castro. Thank you for joining us today to discuss the recent developments regarding Governor Sahbirin Noor’s pretrial case and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).
**Castro**: Good afternoon. Thank you for having me.
**Interviewer**: The South Jakarta District Court has declared the KPK’s determination of Sahbirin Noor as a suspect invalid. What are your thoughts on this ruling?
**Castro**: It’s actually quite expected. From the outset, I predicted that the KPK would face challenges in this pretrial process due to their handling of the evidence and their investigation protocol.
**Interviewer**: You mentioned that there’s a “kind of acute disease” within the KPK that affects their efficacy. Can you elaborate on that?
**Castro**: Certainly. There seems to be a loss of passion and instinct within the commission for eradicating corruption, which has made them less effective in uncovering cases. It’s quite concerning, as it suggests that they may not be as thorough as necessary when examining evidence and witnesses, ultimately weakening their position.
**Interviewer**: How do you think the recent revisions to the Corruption Eradication Commission Law have impacted their operations?
**Castro**: The revisions have significantly affected the KPK’s authority and morale. As a result, they might have lost their edge, which previously made them a formidable force against corrupt practices. This weakening benefits those involved in corruption, as they feel less threatened by the commission’s authority.
**Interviewer**: What do you believe the KPK needs to do moving forward?
**Castro**: The KPK needs to reflect on their past failures, learn from them, and enhance their practices. They must ensure that they thoroughly examine potential suspects before making determinations, as in the case of Uncle Birin. Regaining the trust and respect of the public is crucial for them to effectively combat corruption once again.
**Interviewer**: Thank you for your insightful comments, Castro. It’s clear that rebuilding the KPK’s credibility and effectiveness will be key in future cases.
**Castro**: Thank you for the discussion. I hope to see improvements soon for the sake of anti-corruption efforts in Indonesia.
**Interviewer**: Absolutely. Thank you for your time today.