Hasto Given Amnesty, KPK Still Hunts Harun Masiku

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Although President Prabowo Subianto granted amnesty to the defendant in the bribery case, the Secretary-General of the PDI Perjuangan, Hasto Kristiyanto, the Corruption Eradication Commission remains confident that the legal process against Hasto is appropriate and there is no criminalization.

The KPK has also ensured that the granting of amnesty will not diminish the institution's spirit to combat corruption. The pursuit of Harun Masiku, who is entangled in the same case as Hasto, will not be affected by the amnesty granted to Hasto.

KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo, during a press conference at the Red and White Building in Jakarta, Friday (1/8/2025), expressed deep disappointment over the final outcome of the case that they have painstakingly built since 2020. He reiterated how the case has gone through all legal stages professionally.

"We certainly still remember the origins of this case, which began with a sting operation in 2020. The investigation, prosecution, and legal proceedings have all been carried out very well, properly, and in accordance with legal principles," said Budi.

He emphasized that the legal process against Hasto not only passed the material test in the pretrial hearing but has also been monitored by the Supervisory Board of the KPK. Ultimately, the panel of judges at the Jakarta Corruption Court agreed with the evidence presented by the public prosecutor.

Now, after all these efforts have been made, the Corruption Eradication Committee has been forced to release him due to the amnesty granted by President Prabowo.

"Regarding the release of Mr. HK, we are still waiting for the letter for further action. Once it is issued, the legal process will certainly be halted," he explained.

It is noteworthy that Hasto was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison and a fine of IDR 250 million, with a subsidiary of three months' imprisonment, by the panel of judges at the Jakarta Corruption Court on July 25. Hasto was found to be involved in a bribery case concerning the management of the interim replacement of a member of the DPR for Harun Masiku.

However, on Thursday (31/7/2025) evening, the Deputy Chairman of the DPR from the Gerindra Party faction, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, stated that the DPR has approved President Prabowo's request to grant abolition for Tom Lembong, amnesty for the Secretary General of PDI-P Hasto Kristiyanto, and 1,115 other convicts. The granting of amnesty and abolition is said to be for the sake of reconciliation.

Although it is necessary to release Hasto, Budi assured that this incident will not dampen the spirit of eradicating corruption. He emphasized the commitment of the KPK to resolve other major cases, including the pursuit of the suspect Harun Masiku, who is at the root of this matter.

We certainly still remember the origins of this case, which stemmed from a sting operation in 2020. Investigations, inquiries, and prosecutions have all been carried out very well, properly, and in accordance with legal standards.

"This certainly won't be a hiatus in corruption eradication efforts. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is committed to continuing its search for (Harun Masiku)," he stressed.

Harun Masiku has been on the run and is classified as a fugitive since January 17, 2020. He is a former candidate for the House of Representatives from PDI-P. He was named a suspect in the same case as Hasto for allegedly bribing former KPU commissioner, Wahyu Setiawan, in order to be appointed as the replacement for Nazarudin Kiemas, who passed away after being elected to the House. Wahyu has been sentenced to 7 years in prison and has been granted parole since October 6, 2023.

In response to the allegations of criminalization in the Hasto case, Budi denied them by stating that all handling of the case at the KPK is based purely on considerations of evidence. Instead of lamenting, the KPK invites the public to use this moment as a discussion material for improving the legal system in the future.

"This event can certainly serve as a discussion space for friends, both on campus and for those concerned with anti-corruption issues, so that they can later provide constructive inputs for improving the efforts to eradicate corruption in Indonesia," concluded Budi.

Unlike the KPK, a member of the DPR from the PDI-P faction, Romy Soekarno, believes that the legal process against Hasto has raised public questions from the outset due to numerous irregularities in terms of procedure, case construction, and political timing. He stated that the handling of this case reflects more of a power maneuver rather than an objective and fair law enforcement.

"In this context, the granting of amnesty serves as an appropriate correction to legal distortions as well as a form of restoration of the political rights of a citizen," he stated.

Furthermore, according to Romy, the amnesty for Hasto emphasizes that the law should not be used as a tool of power to silence criticism or suppress political opponents. "The law must remain a guardian of the nation's collective morality and a pendulum of justice that favors truth and the interests of the people," Romy stated.

The Chairman of the DPP PDI-P, Ganjar Pranowo, hopes that the granting of amnesty to Hasto can serve as a momentum for the enforcement of law that is fair and free from political intervention.

"That's all. Nothing more, nothing less. This could be the momentum for fair law enforcement without political interference," said Ganjar.