REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- A political observer from the University of Airlangga (Unair) Surabaya, Haryadi, said it was not fair to suggest that acting secretary general of the ruling party PDI-P Hasto Kristiyanto was seeking to weaken the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) by unveiling alleged political lobby by Abraham Samad , the chairman of the anti graft agency.

"On the contrary Hasto wanted to save KPK from being led to various forms of deviation and to keep it on the right path to remain effective," Haryadi said here on Monday.

Hasto has accused Samad of lobbying political leaders especially PDIP officials to name him a running mate of Joko Widodo (Jokowi) in last year's presidential election which was finally won by Jokowi but with running mare Jusuf Kalla.

He said his statement was only a confirmation of a mass media report titled "Greenhouse of Abraham Samad" about Samad's political maneuver and lobby written earlier by Sawito Kartowibowo.

The article said Samad met with party officials to discuss a number of political issue and offered to take care of a corruption case faced by a PDIP cadre Emir Moeis.

He said he felt it was his duty and was forced to tell the truth after Samad denied the report calling it a lie and label.

Earlier Samad denied the report as groundless.

Hasto said he spoke to the press on his own initiative without the knowledge of his party , but many believed he was told by his party to tell the "truth".

Haryadi said what Hasto has done is in line with the position of the majority of the people seeking to save KPK.

"Therefore, it is not fair to accuse PDIP as being an anti KPK or against eradication of corruption," he said.

KPK was established when PDIP chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri, was president more than a decade earlier.

PDIP might have been lucky that it had not supported Samad's candidacy for vice president as running mate of Jokowi.

"The political bargain offered by Samad might have made PDIP not very firm with the figure of Samad," Haryadi said.

Certainly PDIP did not want such bargaining although its might benefit the party especially with Jokowi's vision of mental revolution, he added.

"Samad's offer is not only against ethics in general, but it is also not in line with Jokowi's visions and PDIP platform." he said.

Hasto has suggested KPK set up a an ethic commission to investigate the allegations against its chairman.

"There must be no personal interest involved in handling corruption cases," Hasto told reporters in a new conference he held here last month.

He said he hoped that Samad has the courage to admit the meetings he had with PDIP and Nasdem leaders in the process of his political lobby last year.

He said most of what was said in the article of Greenhouse of Abraham Samad was right.

The article spoke about allegations by Chudry Sitompul, Hadidijojo Nitimihardjo, and Indra Ketaren on 21 January 2013 that KPK had been made a political tool by Abraham Samad in his political lobby to gain support for his ambition to become vice presidential candidate in 2014.

Abraham Samad also charged Hasto with slander.

"From what Abraham Samad said that the meetings with political leaders, allegedly as a political lobby in his bid for vice presidential candidate were all slander," KPK prevention deputy Johan Budi said.

Johan Budi said Hasto should come to speak about his allegations to KPK instead of speaking to the press and the House of Representatives.

Hasto had been invited by the House to ask for details about his allegations against Samad.

Johan Budi said KPK has zero tolerance to breach of ethics by its leaders as well as its employees.

A KPK commissioner or leader is not allowed to hold a meeting with a person facing legal case or with political leaders without the knowledge other KPK leaders.

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