CALLS TO STOP REVISION OF LAW ON ANTI-GRAFT AGENCY RISING

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Oct 5 (ANTAR) - The idea to revise Law No. 30/2002 on Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) was previously intended to strengthen the anti-graft agency as part of efforts to fight corruption cases in Indonesia.              The House of Representatives (DPR)'s Commission III on legal affairs has been discussing the draft revision of the law and has transferred it to the House's Legislation Body for further harmonization.              Yet, many lawmakers who previously agreed to the revision have withdrawn their support as it turned out that the draft revision of the law included proposals which adversely tried to weaken the authority of the KPK rather than strengthen it.              Saan Mustopa of the House Commission III said that he rejected the revision of the anti-graft law if it adversely weakened the KPK and reduced its authority. "The revision should aim to strengthen the KPK, not weaken it. The existing authority must be maintained," asserted Mustopa.              Commission III, which deliberated the draft revision of Law No. 30/2002, has submitted the draft document to the House's Legislation Body for harmonization and synchronization.              There are at least three big issues proposed to be revised in the law. The three issues include the scrapping of the KPK authority to carry out prosecution, the tightening of requirements for KPK to tap information and the formation of a supervisory council for KPK.              On Thursday, the United Development Party faction (F-PPP) in the House of Representatives officially tabled its request for terminating deliberations on the draft revision. "The F-PPP has officially sent a letter to the DPR leadership to stop deliberating the draft revision of the law on KPK," Arwani Thomafi, the secretary of F-PPP, said at the DPR building on Thursday.              Thomafi explained that the decision of F-PPP to propose the termination of the deliberation of the law on the anti-graft commission was made in a PPP faction leadership meeting on Tuesday.              In its letter to the DPR leadership, the F-PPP explained that its reason to stop the efforts to revise the law was because they sought to weaken the KPK.      According to F-PPP Chairman Hasrul Azwar, the KPK should serve as an extraordinary institution for rooting out corruption so that its rights to prosecution and tapping information should be maintained.              "In the draft revision, the KPK rights to prosecution and tapping are to be eliminated," Azwar said.              The same opposition was also voiced by Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) party figure Hidayat Nur Wahid. He stated that his party was also opposed to the planned revision of the law.              "The PKS faction, including its members sitting in the House legislation body, has demanded that the proposed revision of the law on KPK be cancelled," he said, adding that the PKS would always support the KPK in its fight against corruption.              The Golkar Party described the efforts to revise the law as an attempt to strip it of its authority and to weaken it.     "The Golkar Party faction has always expected the purpose of the revision of the law to be strengthening the KPK. Since we perceive the proposed revision of the law tends to weaken the function of the KPK, we suggest that the revision of the law be stopped," Secretary of the Golkar Party faction in the House of Representatives (DPR) DR Ade Komarudin said.              "In principle, the revision is intended to strengthen and not to weaken the KPK. If the revision of the law will weaken the KPK we must oppose it," he added.              According to him, the KPK has optimally done its job and has made extraordinary achievements in fighting corruption in the country.     Under the proposed revision of the law, the KPK will no longer have the authority to indict people in corruption cases.              "This has sparked controversy and debate as there seems to be an attempt to reduce the KPK's authority. There should be articles which govern details of the KPK's authority so that the institution would be stronger and be able to perform its duties and functions," he said.              Therefore, Golkar senior leader Priyo Budi Santoso, who is also the deputy chairman of the House of Representatives, has supported a proposal to cancel the planned revision of the law.              "We must listen to the mounting demand from the public, who reject the revision of the law," he said at the parliament building on Wednesday.              Supporting the rejection of the revision was People's Conscience (Hanura) Party General Chairman Wiranto. He told Hanura's representatives in the House to protect the KPK from efforts to weaken it.              "KPK is a spearhead in efforts to eliminate corruption. So, it should maintain its strong authority so that it can perform its job effectively," said Wiranto.              Hanura's cadre Syarifuddin Sudding, who is a member of Commission III of the House, said that his faction had fought for the strengthening of the anti-graft body.     "We are of the view that KPK needs a strong authority," Syarifuddin added.              Calls for the strengthening the KPK also came from the Indonesian National Youth Committee (KNPI) and a group of community leaders.              KNPI chairman for Kuala Lumpur branch, Sagir Alva said that a systematic effort to weaken the KPK could clearly be observed.              "In order to prevent the KPK from constantly posing a threat to the corrupt, a systematic effort is being made to weaken it through revising Law No.30/2002 on the KPK, which has sent many corrupt officials to jail," Alva said.              A group of community leaders have given their moral support to the country's anti-graft agency, which is facing alleged attempts to weaken it.              The group includes rector of the state-run Syarif Hidayatullah Islamic University Komaruddin Hidayat, criminal law expert J.E Sahetapy, International Law expert Hikmahanto Juwana, cultural observer Taufiq Ismail, Nahdatul Ulama leader Salahuddin Wahid, rector of the Paramadina University Anies Baswedan, former chairman of Indonesian Church Council Natan Setiabudi and leading journalist Bambang Harimurti.               According to Komaruddin, the KPK was established with a view to stamp out corruption, which is rampant in the country. However, it is facing massive attempts to undermine and cripple it, as well as to strip it off its power.              "We are giving our support to the people's expectation for a clean institution, with the KPK as a symbol to help build a clean government," Komaruddin said.             Sahetapy called those seeking to weaken the KPK a 'bunch of traitors' to the state.              "I would like to say that those seeking to strip the KPK off part of its power, including the honourable people's representatives at the Parliament, who have cited inconceivable pretexts, could be categorized as traitors to the state  or defenders of corruption," Sahetapy said.***1***  (T.A014/A/KR-BSR/F001) 05-10-2012 18:19: