Team of five sets criteria for candidates of KPK leadership

Jakarta, NU Online
The team of five has set three conditions as a reference for selecting candidates to fill the posts left vacant by three Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairmen police recently named suspects in alleged criminal cases.

"We are aware of the situation we have to deal with and that talent scouting is needed, and we agreed that there must be a main criterion for use as a reference to select candidates," coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs, Widodo AS, said after leading the team`s first meeting here on Thursday.<>

He said the first criteria was candidates must meet the requirements set in Point A to Point K of Article 29 of the Law on KPK Number 30 of 2002. "The candidates who are selected must be able to carry out KPK duties right after their selection," he said.

"Secondly, they must not have psychological barriers with regard to relations with remaining KPK chairmen and thirdly, they must be trustworthy or accepted by the public," he said.

He said the meeting had not yet discussed names that met the conditions. He pledged he would make them known after being reported to the president.

He said he hoped next week the team would be able to recommend the three names as requested based on the government regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) and the presidential decree (Keppres) issued recently.

The first meeting of the team on Thursday lasted for three hours and it would be continued on Friday.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono signed a Perppu on Tuesday following a controversy over the police`s decision to name two KPK officials suspects in an alleged power abuse case linked to issuance of travel bans for businessman Anggoro Wijoyo and Djoko Tjandra that led to vacancies in the KPK.

KPK chief Antasari Azhar meawhile has earlier been suspended in connection with his alleged involvement in a murder case.

Following the issuance of the Perppu, the president produced a presidential decree to assign a team of five to select candidates to fill the vacancies in the KPK.

The team members include coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs Widodo AS, minister of justice and human rights Andi Mattalata, presidential advisor Adnan Buyung Nasution, noted lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis and former KPK chief Taufiqurrahman Ruki. (ant)