Basarnas Polemic; Jokowi to Evaluate Military, Police Officers Having Civilian Posts
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31 July 2023 14:20 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo or Jokowi stated that he would conduct an evaluation of the Indonesian Military (TNI) and Police (Polri) officers who hold positions in government institutions following the polemic of the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) chief Air Vice Marshal Henri Alfiandi who was named a suspect in the alleged graft case. Henri is a high-ranking military officer.
Jokowi underlined that he did not want acts of corruption to occur in critical civilian posts. “Everything will be evaluated. Not only this (Basarnas), everything,” he said after inaugurating the Ciliwung tunnel project in Jakarta, Monday, July 31, 2023.
The evaluation, he clarified, is not based on the occurrence of inter-agency conflicts in the handling of the Basarnas case. It is aimed at preventing corrupt practices from happening in state institutions.
He refused to talk much about the chaotic handling of the alleged graft case involving the Basarnas chief and urged the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the TNI to make coordination.
“I think it is a matter of coordination that must be held by all institutions according to their respective authorities based on the regulations,” he said.
When coordination between agencies goes well, then there will be no chaos in case handling as currently occurring. “If it (coordination) is carried out, it will be then finished,” Jokowi said.
Controversy emerged after KPK named high-ranking military officers, Henri Alfiandi and Lieutenant Colonel Arif Budi Cahyanto as suspects in the alleged graft case of Basarnas on July 26, a day of the sting operation.
The Military Police thus visited KPK on Friday, July 28, to get clarifications. The arrest was deemed to be beyond KPK’s authority. As a result, KPK deputy chief Johanis Tanak apologized and admitted to making a mistake.
The KPK chairman Firli Bahuri, meanwhile, issued a statement denying that his side did not coordinate with the TNI when determining the suspects. Firli also said he is ready to take responsibility for his words.
ADE RIDWAN YANDWIPUTRA
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