Makassar. The government has announced vacancies for new commissioners of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), but the selection committee reported on Thursday that only one woman has applied among the 79 applicants so far.

The current all-male leadership board will end its term later this year, following the early retirement of Chairman Firli Bahuri, who stepped down after being named a corruption suspect by the police.

Since the vacancies for the 2024-29 term were opened on June 26, 632 individuals have registered, but only 78 men and one woman have submitted formal applications.

"It’s crucial to have more female applicants. Women’s activists and campaigners, please come forward and register yourself. We need you,” said selection committee member Rezki Sri Wibowo during a visit to Makassar, South Sulawesi.

Since its founding in 2004, the KPK has had only two female commissioners. Policewoman Basaria Panjaitan made history by becoming the first female commissioner from 2015 to 2019.

The current KPK leadership briefly included prominent lawyer Lili Pintauli Siregar, who resigned in July 2022 amid a public inquiry and subsequent ethics tribunal. She was found to have accepted free accommodation from a state company to watch the MotoGP race at the Mandalika Circuit in West Nusa Tenggara. Former prosecutor Johanis Tanak replaced her.

The current KPK commissioners are the first to enjoy an extended term from four years to five, following a ruling by the Constitutional Court. This five-year term also applies to the next leadership and beyond.

The court argued that the KPK’s term must align with that of the president and lawmakers to prevent a sitting president and lawmakers from selecting KPK commissioners more than once during their term. 

The ruling aims to protect the KPK’s independent authority and ensure continuity in handling major corruption cases without disruption from a change in leadership initiated by the government and lawmakers.

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