TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The House of Representatives (DPR) law commission concedes to name former KPK enforcement deputy, Inspector General Firli Bahuri as the new chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

“Does everyone agree?” asked House’s law commission head and Golkar politician Aziz Syamsuddin to fellow House members on Friday, September 13, at 1 a.m.

The entire members of House of Representatives (DPR) law commission immediately agreed to name Firli as the chairman of the anti-graft agency. “Aye,” said the entire law commission faction during the vote.

Out of five candidates, Firli was able to grab 56 votes from House members, while the other four collected votes below 55. Other candidates include former KPK commissioner Alexander Marwata (53 votes), Jember University law faculty dean Nurul Ghufron (51), high-judge Nawawi Pomolango (50), and advocate Lili Pintauli Siregar (44).

Hours prior to the naming of Inspector General Firli Bahuri, KPK Deputy Chief Saut Situmorang held a press conference claiming that Firli had violated the code of ethics by meeting the Governor of West Nusa Tenggara Tuan Guru Bajang (TGB) Zainul Majdi for several times.

At that time, the anti-graft agency was investigating an alleged graft in the Newmont divestment and TGB is a witness in the case. Firli, however, denied allegations of the ethical code violation.

FAJAR PEBRIANTO