Fajarasia.co – The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) created a mutual cooperation account as a solution to reduce high political costs.
This was conveyed by the Secretary General of the PDIP Hasto Kristiyanto, in the presence of the Chairperson of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Firli Bahuri in the Integrated ‘Intelligent Politics with Integrity’ agenda at the Anti-Corruption Education Center Building, Jakarta, Monday (27/6/2022).
“Regarding the high-cost regional elections, Pak Firli, we have also tried to overcome this by creating a mutual cooperation account,” said Hasto.
He admitted that PDIP had never asked for a ‘political dowry’ for the nomination of a person as a candidate for regional head or member of the legislature. PDIP, he said, actually provided assistance so as not to burden someone who would run in the Pilkada/Pileg.
“For example, when Mr. Jokowi was nominating as a candidate for governor [DKI Jakarta], it was the party that sought witness funds, not Mr. Jokowi. Likewise for other regions,” he explained.
Referring to the KPK data from 2004 to January 2022, the perpetrators of corruption who come from the political process are quite dominant. There were 310 cases involving members of the DPR and DPRD, 22 cases involving the governor, as well as 148 mayors/regents and deputy who were legally processed by the Corruption Eradication Commission.
The large costs in the political process have also become one of the triggers for someone to commit corruption to obtain additional income to cover the financing.
The KPK research reveals that the costs that need to be prepared to participate in the Regional Head Election are IDR 5-10 billion, it can even reach IDR 65 billion. This was conveyed by Firli Bahuri on October 20, 2020.
Not infrequently, candidates for regional heads seek help from third parties with promises to accommodate their interests when they take office. Specifically for the 2017 and 2018 Pilkada, the KPK revealed that 82.3 percent of regional head candidates were financed by sponsors.****
