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 occurred when the Corruption Eradication Committee lost everything after the revision of the Corruption Eradication Commission Law. It lost its passion, parent, embrace, all kinds of problems which made this institution weaker and of course benefited 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)
#KPK #Loses #Instincts #Sahbirin #Noor #Wins #Pretrial #Predicted
In what ways has the revision of the Corruption Eradication Commission Law impacted the performance and credibility of the KPK, according to Castro?
**Interview with Herdiansyah Hamzah (Castro), Researcher at the Anti-Corruption Study Center (SAKSI)**
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us today, Castro. Recently, the South Jakarta District Court ruled that the determination of Sahbirin Noor as a suspect was invalid. What’s your initial reaction to this ruling?
**Castro:** Thank you for having me. Honestly, I’m not surprised by this decision. We had anticipated that the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) would face difficulties in this pretrial. This has been a trend that we’ve observed.
**Interviewer:** You mentioned that there seems to be an issue within the KPK. Can you elaborate on what you mean by the “acute disease” within the agency?
**Castro:** Yes, I believe that the KPK has lost some of its essential instincts and passion for combating corruption. As a result, they might not be dedicating the necessary effort to thoroughly investigate cases, which is fundamental in preventing losses like this.
**Interviewer:** Do you think this situation is indicative of a broader problem within the KPK since the revision of the Corruption Eradication Commission Law?
**Castro:** Absolutely. Since that revision, we’ve observed a decline in their effectiveness and credibility. It’s as though the KPK has lost its vigor, which ultimately benefits corrupt individuals rather than the public interest.
**Interviewer:** What do you think the KPK needs to do to regain its strength in combating corruption?
**Castro:** The KPK needs to re-evaluate its approach and learn from past failures. They must ensure that they conduct exhaustive evidence gathering and witness examinations before declaring someone a suspect. Only then can they regain the authority and respect necessary to be a formidable opponent to corruption.
**Interviewer:** Given the court’s decision, what impacts do you foresee for both Sahbirin Noor and the KPK moving forward?
**Castro:** For Sahbirin Noor, this ruling allows him some reprieve, but the larger implication is that it underscores the KPK’s current vulnerabilities. This could embolden others who are engaging in corrupt practices. It’s crucial for the KPK to restore its integrity and effectiveness to deter such behaviors.
**Interviewer:** Thank you for sharing your insights, Castro. It’s been a pleasure having you with us.
**Castro:** Thank you for having me. I hope for a stronger KPK in the future that can effectively combat corruption in Indonesia.
