TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) coordinator Ade Irawan said President Joko Widodo had turned a blind eye to the ongoing attempt to sap the nation’s anti-corruption movement.
Ade said the president had been compromising with the interests of parties supporting his administration, and thus undermining law enforcement institutions that were supposed to be the pillars of anti-corruption.
“Jokowi has lost his nerve and independence,” he said on Sunday, January 25, 2015.
Ade said Jokowi as president should not have engaged in political compromises that were against the people’s interests. The ICW also blasted the president for the thickness of political ambience in the appointment of the Justice and Human Rights Minister, the Attorney General and the National Police chief.
Jokowi, according to Ade, has let political interests penetrate and secure the top posts of law enforcement institutions. Earlier, Jokowi appointed Yasonna Laoly—an Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician—as Justice and Human Rights Minister, and Prasetyo—a National Democrat (NasDem) politician—as Attorney General. Recently, Jokowi also appointed Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan, a former adjutant to former president Megawati Soekarnoputri, as the next top cop.
Ade said Jokowi seemed powerless to contain the political interests of his supporting parties and elites. Amid the escalating tensions between the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the National Police, Ade said, the president had been standing on the sidelines in silence.
“Jokowi’s plans on anti-corruption movement are unclear,” he said.
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