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Jokowi's AG choice slammed
Jakarta Post - November 21, 2014
After leaving the position of attorney general vacant for almost a month, Jokowi inaugurated on Thursday NasDem legislator HM Prasetyo, 67, as attorney general in a move viewed by many legal and human-rights activists as a setback for the country's law-enforcement efforts.
Human rights watchdog the Setara Institute questioned whether Prasetyo had the commitment to eradicating corruption and resolving human-rights violations cases, given his political background. "The appointment of Prasetyo as attorney general is a sign that Jokowi is encumbered by political parties," Setara chairman Hendardi said.
Hendardi also said that the resolution of past human-rights abuses would take a back seat under Jokowi's administration. "This is also an indication that the proposal for a human-rights court will once again be left dormant," Hendardi said.
There are at least seven gross human-rights violations cases that have remained unresolved by the Attorney General's Office (AGO), according to Setara. The cases include the 1989 Talangsari massacre in Central Lampung and the anti-Chinese riots in May 1998 that led to the downfall of president Soeharto.
Hendardi also warned Jokowi that he would achieve little in terms of law enforcement now that his attorney general and law and human rights minister, were both political appointees. He was referring to Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna H. Laoly, a former Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) lawmaker.
Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW), which has frequently expressed concern over the possible nomination of Prasetyo, also condemned Jokowi's decision. The antigraft watchdog blasted Jokowi for keeping Prasetyo's vetting process under wraps.
"We've never heard that he [Prasetyo] has been thoroughly screened by the Corruption Eradication Commission [KPK], the [Finance Ministry's] taxation directorate general or other [law-enforcement agency]. [We] also never heard of him being summoned by Jokowi [prior to the appointment]," ICW researcher Emerson Yuntho said.
The KPK has also criticized Jokowi for the appointment. "A person with a political background usually has conflicts of interest. The AGO, meanwhile, is a law-enforcement institution that needs a leader of independence and integrity," KPK chairman Abraham Samad said.
Prasetyo, who resigned on Thursday from his position as a member of the House of Representatives after 51 days in office, replaces Basrief Arief whose term expired on Oct. 20.
Speculation was rife that NasDem chairman Surya Paloh personally lobbied Jokowi to persuade him to pick Prasetyo, who is also a former junior attorney general for general crimes.
Earlier this month, Surya accompanied Jokowi to Halim Perdanakusuma Airport before the latter took off on his nine-day trip overseas, triggering rumors that he was intensively lobbying to secure Prasetyo's position.
On Wednesday, Surya also visited Jokowi at the State Palace to discuss Prasetyo's appointment, according to Cabinet Secretary Andi Widjajanto. "[The President] requested a guarantee [from Surya] that the candidate [Prasetyo] would quit the NasDems. He must be independent as soon as he becomes attorney general. If he could not do that, the President said a change of candidate would be possible," Andi said.
With his appointment of Prasetyo, Jokowi appeared to have missed the opportunity to pick a more credible candidate, among whom were junior attorney general for special crimes Widyo Pramono; Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) chief Muhammad Yusuf; and former judicial mafia task force member Mas Achmad Santosa.
Prasetyo, however, is not the first political appointee to the attorney general's position. In 1999, transitional president BJ Habibie appointed Golkar Party politician Marzuki Darusman as attorney general.
Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno, who is also a NasDem politician, denied any political intervention in the attorney-general selection, saying the President had picked Prasetyo due to his "capability, credibility and loyalty".
Speaking after his inauguration, Prasetyo insisted that his political affiliations would not interfere with his work. "When the nation calls us, [we] must leave all personal and group interests behind," he said.
Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/11/21/jokowi-s-ag-choice-slammed.html.
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