President Asked To Oppose Attempt To Weaken KPK

Jakarta  (Antara Bali) - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) hopes that President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) would oppose any attempt to strip it of its power as a super body when revision is made of the KPK Law.

"I am confident that President Jokowi would not go against his commitment to fighting corruption," acting deputy chairman of the agency Johan Budi said in cell phone  short message here on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, at a meeting with the Legislation Body of the House of Representative, Law and Human Right Minister Yasonna Hamonangn Laoly said that revision of the KPK Law will be included in the National Legislation Projection  in 2015  under the initiative of the parliament.

A number of articles in the KPK law would be the targets of revision such as KPK's tapping authority.

The House want to limit the KPK's tapping right only to conversations of those already facing legal process.

In addition, the House wants to review the authority of KPK in prosecution that needs to be made in synergy with the attorney general's authority.  

The revision planned by the House, however, has been seen as an attempt to weaken the KPK.

"If the goal of the revision of the KPK Law is to abolish the agency's authority in prosecution and to reduce its tapping right, the public perception that there has been systematic attempts to weaken KPK in its fight against corruption proved true," Johan said.

Revision of the KPK Law , therefore, should not abolish the authority of KPK over the two points related to prosecution and tapping, he said.

"I am confident, the government also would not agree with the attempt to scrap the KPK's prosecution and tapping authority," he said.

Point 1 of Chapter 12 of the Law No. 30 of 2002 on KPK, says that  in carrying out its investigations  and prosecution, KPK is authorized to tapping and recording conversations.

KPK is the only law enforcement agency authorized with a combined power to carry out investigation  and prosecution at once. It is also authorized to exercise supervision  and to take over cases already handled by police  or the prosecution office.

KPK is called a super body for the big power it holds over other law enforcement agencies. (WDY)