Indonesia's Corruption Eradication Commission Arrested the Commissioner of General Elections Commission

Indonesia's Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested the commissioner of the General Election Commission (KPU), in a sting operation on Wednesday (1/8/2020).
Indonesia's Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested the commissioner of the General Election Commission (KPU), Wahyu Setiawan, in a sting operation on Wednesday (1/8/2020).

Wahyu Setiawan (WSE) is suspected by the KPK of accepting bribe from a politician of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Harun Masiku, so that Harun can be appointed as a member of the parliament (DPR) for 2019-2024 period.

According to KPK Deputy Chair, Lily Pintauli Siregar, Wahyu Setiawan allegedly requested up to Rp 900 million from Harun. KPK confiscated Rp 400 million in Singapore dollars.

"The KPK then secured WSE and RTO (Rahmat Tonidaya) as WSE assistants at Soekarno-Hatta Airport around 12.55 WIB," Lili said at a press conference at the KPK Building, Kuningan, South Jakarta, Thursday (01/09/2020), as reported by Liputan6.

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KPK's press conference showing the evidents. Source: kpk.go.id

Harun intends to replace Nazarudin Kiemas who passed away. However, the KPU plenary has set Riezky Aprilia as Nazarudin's replacement.

KPK then named Wahyu Setiawan as a suspect in the bribery case related to the appointment of DPR member for 2019-2024 period on Thursday (01/09/2020).

In total there are four suspects in this bribery case. Besides Wahyu, KPK also named a former member of the Election Oversight Body (Bawaslu) who is also a Wahyu's confidant, Agustiani Tio Fridelina. Then, PDI-P politician Harun Masiku, and a private party named Saeful.

After being named as a suspect, Wahyu Setiawan is detained at the KPK Branch Detention Center in Pomdam Jaya Guntur. "Wahyu (detained at) Guntur (KPK Branch Detention Center in Pomdam Jaya Guntur)," Acting KPK Spokesman Ali Fikri told Kompas News on Friday (01/10/2020).


No Legal Assistance from KPU


The head of the KPU, Arief Budiman, said that his party would not provide legal assistance to Wahyu Setiawan. Arief emphasized that the case that ensnared Wahyu is not related to the KPU's institutional policies.

"Because this case is not related to the KPU policy in question. Yes, we won't (provide legal assistance)," Arief said at the KPU Office, Menteng, Central Jakarta, Friday (10/1/2020).

Arief continued, Wahyu's case was not because the KPU ordered something. He said, Wahyu did the action himself. "This is not a case because the KPU ordered something, but it did it on its own. So the KPU cannot provide legal assistance," said Arief.

Wahyu Setiawan's position as a member of the 2017-2022 KPU period will be replaced by intertemporal substitute, I Dewa Kade Wiarsa Raka Sandi.