TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) senior investigator Novel Baswedan argued that the Commission's plan to dismiss 51 employees was not just a matter of employment issues. Novel suspected that it was a systematic attempt to get rid of people who were serious about eradicating corruption.

"This is a systematic attempt to get rid of them. I believe there is a conspiracy behind it," said Novel in the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) Office in Jakarta on Thursday, May 27, 2021.

Novel suspected that such an effort was carried out by some KPK leaders. The employees, he added, had gathered facts about the allegation and had also taken steps to fight this abuse of power. The step that has been known publicly thus far was making a report against the KPK leaders to the Supervisory Board, Komnas HAM, and Ombudsman.

According to him, institutions such as Komnas HAM needed to be involved in this issue given the alleged violations of the rights of employees. Novel mentioned that it was not only about the unfair dismissal but the employees were also labeled radical because they failed the civic knowledge test. “That accusation is very dangerous,” he underlined.

Novel Baswedan expressed worries that the dismissal of 51 KPK employees was just the beginning. He suspected that this effort would serve as an example to frighten the younger generation who are passionate about eradicating corruption.

M ROSSENO AJI