Fulfilling KPK Summons, PDI-P Secretary General Hasto Kristiyanto Ready to be Detained

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The suspect in the bribery case involving the management of members of the House of Representatives for the 2019-2024 period and obstruction of investigation, Hasto Kristiyanto, who is also the Secretary General of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, complied with the summons of KPK investigators at the Merah Putih Building of the Corruption Eradication Commission or KPK, Jakarta, February 20, 2025.

Hasto stated that his arrival was to demonstrate a cooperative attitude. He also promised to provide the best possible testimony. Not only that, he admitted that he was ready to be detained by KPK investigators.

Hasto, wearing a white shirt and a black suit, arrived at the KPK Building at around 09.50 WIB. Hasto was accompanied by his legal advisory team, including Maqdir Ismail and Ronny Talapessy, as well as several PDI-P elites such as Deddy Sitorus.

Meanwhile, hundreds of supporters and cadres of PDI-P had already gathered in front of the KPK Building. They gave speeches urging KPK to immediately stop the criminalization that has been carried out against their party leaders. They accused KPK of being a tool of power and no longer independent in eradicating corruption.

Before entering the KPK building, Hasto stated that his presence at the KPK was to comply with the investigators' summons, demonstrating a cooperative attitude and upholding the law. Although he believes the case implicating him is marked by various legal violations and intimidation practices, he admitted that he would follow the entire process at the KPK, including providing the best possible testimony to the investigators.

When asked by reporters about the possibility of being detained by the KPK today, Hasto admitted that he was ready. Nevertheless, Hasto prayed that it would not happen to him.

"Yes, I am ready both physically and mentally. So, my fellow citizens, that is a good question. What if I am detained? Because everything in this republic is built on the foundation of just law, that is the initial concept, and hopefully, it will not happen," said Hasto.

His examination this time is a rescheduling of Hasto's examination as a suspect after he failed to appear at the summons, Monday (2/17/2025). At that time, the KPK summoned Hasto to be examined as a suspect, but Hasto asked that his examination be postponed because he was re-filing a pretrial motion.

Hasto's attorney, Ronny Talapessy, said that his party had sent a letter requesting a postponement of the examination to the Corruption Eradication Committee (KPK) because they had now filed a pretrial motion again.

"We have filed a pretrial motion again after it was not accepted in the ruling last Thursday, which we believe should have been filed in two pretrial motions, not combined in one pretrial motion," he said.

However, the Corruption Eradication Commission's investigative team rejected Hasto's reason. This is because the pretrial process that will be resubmitted is different from the investigation. "So, investigators consider that there is no proper and reasonable reason not to attend the summons as a suspect today," said KPK Spokesperson Tessa Mahardhika Sugiarto.

Tessa added that this summons was needed to fulfill the lack of a number of documents that would be used as evidence. Hasto was also asked to bring it to the second examination process as a suspect. This is also the reason why Hasto has not been detained even though he has had suspect status since the end of December 2024.

Hasto, in his status as a suspect, was questioned on January 13, 2025. At that time, investigators questioned him for four hours.

He also filed a pretrial motion against his suspect status at the South Jakarta District Court. However, on February 13, sole judge Djuyamto decided not to accept the pretrial motion. Because, according to him, Hasto was a suspect in two cases, while the applicant did not clearly specify the invalidity of the suspect determination in which case.

On that basis, Hasto re-submitted the pretrial motion to the court.