It would be better for Jokowi to name `clean` ministers. He should remember that the KPK is serious about tackling corruption cases.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo should take the recommendations of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on the selection of cabinet ministers into consideration, political observer Victor Silaen, said.

"It would be better for Jokowi to name clean ministers. He should remember that the KPK is serious about tackling corruption cases," Silaen stated here on Wednesday.

Jokowi had submitted the list of ministers he wished to appoint in his cabinet to the KPK to have their credibility checked. After looking into their backgrounds, the anti-graft body returned its results to Jokowi.

In the results, ministers who were possibly involved in corruption cases were marked yellow, while those who were most likely to be named suspects were marked red.

Silaen added that ministers who had been marked red in the KPK examinations would continue to remain in the spotlight of the anti-graft body.

He further noted that if Jokowi went ahead and chose ministers that the KPK warned him against, the public could feel misled and assume that Jokowi was not determined to fight against corruption.

"Sooner or later, Jowoki would lose the publics support," he added.

The observer acknowledged that Jokowi had once been awarded an anti-corruption appreciation. By appointing tainted ministers, the power vested in Jokowi by the people would weaken.

"Jokowi could also be attacked by the opposition camp in the parliament," Silaen cautioned.

Furthermore, the Executive Director of the Indonesian Social and Political Study Center (Puspol Indonesia), Ubedilah Badrun, pointed out on Tuesday that Jokowi should be firm while selecting the candidates for his cabinet lineup.

According to him, some 40 percent of the names that Jokowi submitted to the anti-corruption agency were marked yellow. They are believed to be dishonorable in terms of their integrity and commitment to fight against corruption.

"Jokowi should show his determination and leadership while finalizing on his cabinet as some 40 percent of his prospective ministers are unprincipled," he stated.

Badrun, who is a lecturer at the Jakarta State University (UNJ), also stressed that Jokowi should select his ministers from outside the community of capitalists and political party circles.

"There is no need to appoint ministers from well-known circles. They can be selected from general groups but should be professionals and be able to work hard with integrity," he added.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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