TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Presidential expert staff coordinator, Ari Dwipayana, refuted claims of the meeting between President Joko Widodo or Jokowi and former chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Agus Rahardjo regarding the government’s intervention in a mega corruption case in 2017.

Ari stressed that no such meeting took place. “The meeting being referred to was not on the President’s agenda,” he said in a text message to Tempo on Friday, December 1, 2023.

This clarification was made after Agus, who chaired the KPK for the 2015-2019 period, claimed that the government meddled in the agency’s electronic ID or e-KTP procurement project corruption case, which involved the House of Representatives (DPR) then-speaker Setya Novanto in 2017.

Agus recalled that Jokowi summoned him to the palace and requested that the investigation be halted.

Ari affirmed that legal proceedings against Setya Novanto were ongoing at that time, and a judicial ruling had been made. He also stressed that the President in his official statement on Nov. 17, 2017, firmly requested Setya to comply with the legal process. The state head also believed that the legal process would continue to run well.

“It needs to be clarified that the DPR initiated the amendment of the KPK Law in 2019, not the government, and this occurred two years after suspect Setya Novanto had been charged,” Ari added.

He further emphasized that the President is committed to enhancing the KPK and calls on all elements to get involved.

“We all, including President Jokowi, agree on promoting the KPK's empowerment, and we are working with the government, the DPR, and civil society to achieve this goal,” Ari concluded.

DANIEL A. FAJRI

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