JAKARTA (Yosefardi) – The Chief of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Abraham Samad sent a signal on Wednesday that he might take a stand as a running mate of a presidential hopeful in the July’s presidential race.
Abraham, however, said he will first ask for God’s guidance and blessing from KPK’s officials, especially his deputies, before making a decision.
“I’m still strict with my belief that as a human being, we can not change destiny,” the 47-year-old KPK Chief told journalists at the KPK’s office.
There is no further explanation yet from Abraham about whom he may run with.
Nevertheless, Abraham’s latest statement is a surprise after on Monday (March 17), he reportedly rejected the request from Gerindra Party to become running mate for Prabowo Subianto, Gerindra’s patron leader and its presidential hopeful.
Abraham said firmly that he just wants to finish his tenure as KPK Chief until 2015 and then go back to his hometown, Makassar in South Sulawesi.
But long before, Abraham had been mentioned as potential running mate for Jakarta Governor Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, a presidential hopeful from the Indonesian Democratic party of Struggle (PDI-P).
The rumor of Jokowi-Abraham pairing emerged after the two popular figures met in several occasions, including at the PDI-P’s National Meeting on September 2013.
Other than that, Abraham had signed several Memorandum of Understanding (MoU’s) with Jokowi to help the Jakarta Governor to monitoring and combating corruption within the city’s administration.
Born in Makassar, on November 27, 1966, Abraham graduated from Hasanuddin University’s School of Law with having a master and doctoral degree in law.
He was elected as KPK Chief on December 3, 2011. Prior serving as KPK Chief, Abraham was known as anti-corruption activist in his hometown. Abraham established the South Sulawesi’s Anti-Corruption Committee (ACC). (haryantos@yosefardi.biz)