The KPK asks for the salary of the regional head to be raised, PDIP politician: corrupt because of political costs, not low salaries

FAJAR.CO.ID, JAKARTA – The KPK’s proposal regarding the increase in the salary of regional heads in order to prevent the practice of corruption has suddenly become a public discussion lately.

This is also inseparable from the previous issue regarding the salary of judges raised by President Prabowo to 280 percent. The background is the same, the demo avoids fraud.

Responding to this, PDIP politician Ferdinand Hutahaean said that the KPK’s proposal was not feasible to be taken into consideration.

Ferdinand said, the problem of salary was not the main trigger for corruption practices among officials.

“If we compare it to other countries, with a country whose salary is almost the same as us, but they are afraid of corruption,” Ferdinand told Fajar.co.id, Friday (6/13/2025).

Nevertheless, Ferdinand did not dismiss that salary could also be one of the triggers. However, according to him is not the most important.

“But the most obstacle in us, causing wild corruption everywhere is high political costs,” he said.

Ferdinand then gave an idea, the cost of democracy in Indonesia which was fairly high. To advance to become a regional head must pour billions of rupiah.

“Even if in a big city, you have to spend hundreds of billions. Where does the return of the money if you don’t take part of the APBD Cawe,” Ferdinand said.

The former DPR RI candidate assesses, if indeed the government wants to seriously complete corruption, then the political costs that must be reduced.

“It must be handled first, how we create cheap democracy. So that the quality will be elected,” he added.