•    HOME   
•    NEWS   
•    BUSINESS   
•    INTERNATIONAL   
•    TECH   
•    SPORTS   
•    LIFE & TIMES   
•    OPINION   
•    MY JAKARTA   
•    BLOGS   

Jakarta. The remaining seven candidates for the chairmanship of the Corruption Eradication Commission are set to undergo their final interviews after input was received from law enforcers and antigraft watchdogs on Wednesday.

The selection committee, led by Justice and Human Rights Minister Patrialis Akbar, is this week expected to announce the final two candidates for the top job at the commission, also known as the KPK, before final approval is sought from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

The final two candidates will also have to be vetted by the House of Representatives Commission III, which oversees legal affairs, before being selected.

The selection committee on Wednesday evaluated feedback from Indonesia Corruption Watch, the Indonesian Judicial Watch Society (Mappi), Attorney General’s Office, National Police and State Intelligence Agency (BIN), all of which conducted background checks on the candidates.

Patrialis told reporters each of the candidates would be quizzed by five committee members. “The panel is given the freedom to ask anything confirming feedback and allegations from members of the public toward respective candidates,” he said.

“This includes personal questions — however, we might ask the personal questions during closed sessions.”

Achmad Ubbe, secretary for the selection committee, said lists of questions had been prepared for each of the candidates.

“Following the interviews, we will immediately deliberate again,” he said. “Hopefully by Friday or Saturday, we will be able to announce our choices for the final two candidates.”

ICW last week said it had uncovered at least 28 issues related to the integrity of the seven remaining candidates.

Among those cited by ICW was Sutan Bagindo Fachmi, who was the lead prosecutor in an illegal logging case against North Sumatra businessman Adelin Lis. Sutan was heavily criticized for allowing the businessman to flee the country while his legal case was still pending.

Judicial Commission chairman Busyro Muqoddas was also criticized over his leadership of the independent monitoring body, which the ICW said had been too soft on corrupt judges.

Meanwhile, Insp. Gen. (ret.) Chairul Rasyid, a former Central Java Police chief, once came under fire for failing to take firm action against subordinates who had been entangled in a major corruption case.

The ICW also reported concerns about the other four candidates: Jimly Asshiddiqie, a former presidential adviser; I Wayan Sudirta, a Regional Representative Council (DPD) member for Bali; Melli Darsa, a prominent lawyer; and Bambang Widjojanto, a lawyer and academic.

The KPK has been without a leader since March 21, when the House annulled a government regulation in lieu of law, or perppu, issued by the president in October.

The perppu, designed to fill the void at the antigraft body after three commissioners were suspended due to court cases, had enabled the president to directly appoint Tumpak Hatorangan Panggabean as interim chairman of the commission.

The House has since instructed the government to seek Tumpak’s permanent replacement. More than 300 people applied for the post in June.