Lalenok Ba Ema Hotu (LABEH) organization has urged the National Parliament (NP) to hold an election to choose a new commissioner president for Anti-Corruption Commission (KAK) for coming four years because the mandate of the old commissioner, Aderito de Jesus, has expired. 
LABEH executive director Julio Gil da Silva Guterres says Commissioner Aderito de Jesus assumed the mandate as KAK President on 22 February 2010 and his continued in that role past the expiry of his mandate.
According to KAK regulations, the commissioner should serve for a term of four years only.
“When the mandate is over, the NP has to hold another election to choose the new president for KAK,” Director da Silva, said in Comoro,Dili.
He said KAK’s regulations state that the government has to request Parliament hold an election for a new commissioner one month prior to the expiration of the current commissioner’s mandate.
He urged the NP to request an election for the new KAK commissioner or nominatethe vice commissioner to take up the post of acting president.
“Article 11 of KAK law says when the mandate is over, the government has to ask the NP to appoint one of the deputy commissioners deputies to be acting commissioner,” Director da Silva said.
Deputy President of the NP MP Aderito Hugo says it was the government’s responsibility to ensure a new KAK commissioner.
“Dr Aderito de Jesus, the current Commissioner of KAK sent a warning information letter before his mandate expired on 22 February 2014,” MP Hugo said.
Deputy Hugo acknowledged that the parliament received a letter from Commissioner Aderito last week.
“The NP has taken that into account and sent a letter right away to remind the government based on the doctor’s letter,” MP Hugo said.
The MP said during four years of Aderito de Jesus’ mandate, much progress was made in the areas of corruption prevention, awareness raising and the making of inquiries into allegations of corruption.
“We hope that with investment made, the new commissioner will be able to keep raising the service level for these three areas,” Hugo said.
MP Felis berto Monteiro says during four years of Dr de Jesus’ mandate, there was little protection for those who combat corruption.
“If we talk over corruption, it keeps growing because there’s no protection for those who work to combat corruption so it’s hard to arrest those who commit corruption,” he said.
He said in Indonesia, KAK members are protected for 24 hours so they can do their duties effectively.
MP Cristovao Barros says during four years of Aderito’s mandate there was progress because some corruption cases were resolved in court even though were yet to be resolved.
He used the case of former MP Riak Leman, who used a parliamentary car to conduct his election campaign in 2012.
The case is currently with the Ministry of Public, awaiting trial.
