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KPK Chief Hopefuls Put Their Plans in Writing
Nivell Rayda | July 29, 2010

Candidates to lead the Corruption Eradication Commission taking their written examination. The 10 who did not show were eliminated from consideration. (JG Photo/Afriadi Hikmal) Candidates to lead the Corruption Eradication Commission taking their written examination. The 10 who did not show were eliminated from consideration. (JG Photo/Afriadi Hikmal)
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Jakarta.  The list of antigraft czar candidates dwindled to 135 on Wednesday after 10 of them failed to show up for the next stage of the selection: the written exam.

Justice and Human Rights Minister Patrialis Akbar, who leads the 13-member selection committee for the new chair of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), said the 10 were automatically disqualified.

Partahi Sihombing, a prominent lawyer representing embattled businesswoman Nunun Nurbaeti Daradjatun, said he decided against pursuing his candidacy because of the long hours and poor pay.

“A KPK commissioner only earns about Rp 40 million [$4,440]. That wouldn’t be enough to support my family,” Partahi said.

He added that he also feared that the post might curtail his social life. “There are so many rules, regulations and restrictions inside the KPK. It’s just not worth it,” he said.

He did not say whether his withdrawal had anything to do with the fact that the powerful antigraft commission was investigating Nunun over her alleged role in a major bribery case linked to lawmakers’ appointment of economist Miranda Goeltom as Bank Indonesia senior deputy governor in 2004.

Farouk Muhammad, a member of the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) and a former police general, also resigned from his bid for the chairmanship.

The 135 candidates who took Wednesday’s test were instructed to compose an essay on the current condition of corruption in Indonesia and their strategic national plan to combat graft.

“The candidates must also write about how the KPK, under their leadership, could attain the goal of eradicating corruption and in what way they would contribute to that plan,” Patrialis said.

Twelve academics, whose identities have not been disclosed, have been appointed to grade the tests.

“To ensure objectivity, the candidates were asked not to write down their names, only their identification number. So the assessors won’t know which essays belong to which candidates,” the minister said.

Former Constitutional Court chairman Jimly Asshiddiqie, who had gained support from analysts and anticorruption activists, said that he was optimistic about his performance on the test.

“I feel confident about the test but we should all just wait for the result,” Jimly said. “The assessors have their own criteria so I just hope I met their standards.”

The KPK has been without a leader since March 21, after the House of Representatives annulled a government regulation in lieu of law, or perppu, issued by the president in October. The regulation had been issued to fill the void at the antigraft body after three commissioners were suspended over court cases.

More than 140 applicants were eliminated in June for either failing to meet the requirements or not submitting the necessary documents.

In September, the committee is scheduled to present two final candidates to the president. The House of Representatives Commission III, which oversees legal affairs, is to make the final decision.