Corruption Eradication Commission must continue to be strong

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has said that the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) must continue to be strong because of extraordinary efforts are needed to fight against corruption in the country.

Indonesia needs a strong and independent KPK in the fight against corruption, Jokowi said at the presidential palace complex here on Tuesday.

He stated that no one should try to weaken the anti-graft agency; instead, every stakeholder should make a decision that could strengthen KPK.

If KPK needs improvement, it should be done by strengthening the efforts to eradicate corruption, he remarked.

Meanwhile, seven political party factions have agreed to join a special committee in an inquiry on KPK. The factions are PDIP, Golkar, Hanura, Nasdem, PPP, Gerindra, and PAN. 

Only PKS and Democrat party factions do not want to join the committee.

Agun Gunanjar of Golkar Party has been named as the chairman of the special committee.

The motion initiated by several lawmakers, particularly from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), Golkar, and the National Democrats (Nasdem) parties, to exercise inquiry rights on KPK has received criticism from various parties, particularly from several legal experts. 

The inquiry motion came after KPK rejected a request earlier by the Law Commission of the DPR to hand over a recorded copy of the dossiers of former lawmaker Miryam S. Haryani, who has been implicated in a Rp5.9 trillion scandal over the procurement of electronic identity (e-ID) card project.

Based on the dossiers read by the KPK prosecutor in a court session earlier, more than 50 lawmakers, including the current House Speaker Setya Novanto, high-ranking government officials, and businessmen, were allegedly implicated in the scandal.

The KPK has strongly expressed regret over the motion, calling it a political maneuver by some of the lawmakers to obstruct the investigation.(*)

Source: ANTARA