TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Chairman Agus Rahardjo warned regional leaders to not get involved in corruption heading to the 2018 Regional Elections.

Agus announced that the agency has monitored each and every candidate that plans to run for office in the upcoming election.

“We actually have studied them. There are several of them running as candidates in the upcoming election, even though we know exactly for sure that this person will soon be a suspect [of corruption],” said Agus at the KPK headquarter on Wednesday, February 28.

Agus explained that his agency will only move in for an arrest if the info they receive is accompanied by credible evidence. “We also discussed whether we should just publically declare [the suspects] so that the public will not wrongly elect an official,” said Agus.

KPK also discovered a pattern where an incumbent State Official would sometimes use the regional budget (APBD) to fund their electoral campaign.

KPK made arrests on suspected bribery through a series of sting operations which are connected to the Regional Elections. Some of them who were arrested are Jombang Regent Nyono Suharli Wihandoko, East Nusa Tenggara candidate for Governor Marianus Sae, and Subang Regent Imas Aryumningsih.

KPK also arrested the Governor of Lampung Mustafa, and the Governor candidate of Southeast Sulawesi Asrun, who was arrested together with his son who is also the Mayor of Kendari Adriatman Dwi Putra. They will be taken to the KPK headquarters later on.

Arkhelaus Wisnu Triyogo