"KPK has named 149 suspects or an increase of 38 suspects from the previous year," KPK deputy chairperson Alexander Marwata said at a press conference on “KPK’s Performance and Achievements” at the commission’s Red and White Building in Jakarta on Tuesday.
This year, the commission conducted 113 preliminary investigations, 120 full investigations, or 12 investigation orders (sprindik) more than the previous year, he informed.
Then, the number of prosecutions increased by 33 from the previous year to 121, the number of "inkracht" (with permanent legal force) cases climbed by 34 from the previous year to 121, and the number of decisions executed rose by 11 from the previous year to reach 100.
The KPK also handled one criminal case involving corruption by a corporation and developed five cases with the imposition of money laundering (TPPU) articles.
According to Marwata, the KPK continues to be committed to providing a deterrent effect on perpetrators of corruption, namely by not only imprisoning perpetrators, but also optimizing asset recovery through additional criminal compensation.
Therefore, he said, the KPK is also continuing to work on developing cases of money laundering (TPPU).
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Vice President Ma'ruf Amin earlier emphasized that the arrests made by KPK must be conducted in congruence with the enhancement of anti-corruption education and prevention.
"The corruption eradication mission has been formulated as a comprehensive program by the KPK, and the education, prevention, and enforcement aspects would be correlated," he said here on Wednesday.
Amin made the statement in response to Maritime and Investment Affairs Coordinating Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan’s remarks on December 20, 2022, in which he appealed to the anti-corruption agency to reduce the number of arrests as it will tarnish Indonesia's image.
The coordinating minister emphasized the need to pursue digitization to reduce corruption in Indonesia.
"If (corruption) prevention and education (aspects) are successful, I think the enforcement will be close to zero. Consequently, if prevention and education are not successful, (then) enforcement will remain. Hence, what is important is to enhance education and prevention to reduce enforcement," the Vice President said.
Several countries have pursued the three approaches in their anti-corruption crusade, he noted.
"The approach is common in the global community, including the KPK, through the three tenets of education, prevention, and enforcement," Amin affirmed.
Meanwhile, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs, Muhadjir Effendy, said that in principle, he agreed with efforts to bring down arrests.
"It is best to reduce the enforcement aspect, including arrest operations. It could only be realized if the education (efforts) successfully motivate residents to change their corrupt mentality and officials to comprehend the harmful effects of corruption, but, it will take time," he added.
He affirmed that the Mental Revolution movement, initiated during President Joko Widodo's presidency, is an effort to reduce corruption among state officials and the people, but it will take time to produce an effect.
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Translator: Benardy F, Azis Kurmala
Editor: Suharto
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