Editorial: "Loss of Independence"

KOMPAS 8/12 Page 6 -- Setya Novanto, chairman of the People’s Representative Council (DPR) was tried at the DPR Ethics Council (MKD) Court. But, the trial was held closed!

The closed-door trial brought negative prejudice. That’s why public criticize the closed-door trial through various social media. That’s why #MKDbobrok (degenerate MKD) became the most trending topic in Indonesia and even the world.

MKD closed-door trial was led by MKD Vice Chairman Kahar Muzakir, Novanto’s colleague from Golkar Party. It certainly raised a conflict of interest that the ethics trial prohibited.

Law does provide room whether the MKD court should be held open or closed. For immoral case, MKD holds closed-door trial, but Novanto’s case is not an immoral case. The open trial would have given people the right to obtain information on what Setya Novanto did in the scandal. The testimonies of Sudirman Said, minister of energy and mineral resources and Maroef Sjamsoeddin, president director of PT Freeport Indonesia, have opened Indonesian people’s eyes about how politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen managed this republic.

It is unfortunate that Novanto, a representative of the people of the constituency of East Nusa Tenggara, negates public aspirations. Novanto wanted the trial closed. While in fact, in open trial, he could have responded to accusations based on testimonies he had already heard. He could have also conveyed his defense openly and publicly. Public could have directly heard Novanto’s defense.

MKD’s independence and DPR’s institutional credibility are at stake. MKD seems to have lost its independence by holding a closed trial and granting Novanto’s wish. MKD appears to still be under the control of DPR’s political power which wants this case closed.

We understand the statement of President of Joko Widodo who got upset because his name was exploited [by Setya Novenato] to ask for shares [from PT Freeport[. President also said the ongoing issues in MKD were matters of propriety, decency, and ethics or morality, and they concerned the authority of the state.

Let’s wait for the follow-up of President Widodo’s angry statement. This is the job of law enforcement agencies. President needs to perform consolidation to clean up the presidential palace from various interests.