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The General Election Commission or KPU has allowed three graft convicts to run for office in the 2020 midterm elections after they changed their status from unqualified for public office [TMS] to qualified for public office.

“We changed the convicts’ status on the recommendation of the Election Supervisory Agency [Bawaslu] local branches in Dompu, South Lampung and Bengkulu where they are running [for office],” said KPU Commissioner Evi Novida Ginting.

“The Bawaslu justified the step on grounds the graft convicts served their time, and so were cleared of their convictions.”

Indonesia Corruption Watch researcher Egi Primayogha disputed Evi’s assertion.

“Bengkulu gubernatorial candidate Agusrin Maryono and his running mate Imron Rosyadi was initially ruled out of the elections, as his conviction was less than five years ago. Graft convicts can only run if their sentence was five years onwards,” said Egi.

“The same can be said of South Lampung regent candidates Hipni and his running mate Melin Haryani Wijaya, and Dompu regent candidate Syaifurrahman Salman and his running mate Ika Rezky Veryani TMS. All of their graft convictions were less than five years ago.”

Egi called on the KPU and Bawaslu to comply with their rules, and bar the nominees from running for office.

Source:

https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2020/10/26/19120671/tindaklanjuti-putusan-bawaslu-kpu-tetapkan-3-eks-koruptor-jadi-calon-kepala?page=all#page2. 

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