TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Agus Rahardjo, former chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), recalled that the salary hike for the KPK board of commissioners was proposed before the Covid-19 outbreak hit Indonesia.

“We made the proposal when the situation was normal, unlike the current situation that the country and nation are dealing with crisis and emergency,” said Agus on Friday, April 3.

Back in July 2019, Agus claimed that he and the anti-graft previous leaders suggested a pay raise for the board of commissioners through a revision of Government Regulation No. 82/2015 to the Legal and Human Rights Ministry in a bid to maintain and enhance the commission’s integrity.

However, given the current pandemic, Agus demanded the proposal not to be discussed. The KPK instead should focus on the partnership to defeat the novel coronavirus. “Don’t talk about the salary hike for the time being.”

The KPK acting spokesman Ali Fikri asserted that his side under the leadership of Firli Bahuri would not resume the discussion on the proposal. The chief, he added, deemed the pay hike was not a current priority.

“KPK is focusing on escorting the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. So if it is a proposal, the chairman will annul it and will not discuss it because it is not included in the priority agendas,” Ali confirmed.

M ROSSENO AJI