Indonesia: I won’t let anyone weaken KPK: Jokowi – 11 Sep 2017

• President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has reiterated his commitment to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on 11 Sep 17, stressing that the anti-graft body, in its capacity as an institution mandated to combat corruption, must be instead strengthened.
• The president made the statement in response to the latest move by lawmakers, who suggested that the KPK be suspended. “I have to emphasize that I won’t let [anyone] weaken the KPK. Therefore, we have to defend the KPK together,” Jokowi said on 11 Sep 17 as quoted by kompas.com.
• He also emphasized that the KPK was an independent body, and thus must be free of any branches of power in fulfilling its tasks. “The KPK is an institution highly trusted by the people. We have to strengthen it to accelerate corruption eradication efforts,” said the president.
• Last week, senior lawmaker Henry Yosodiningrat of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) said the KPK should be “frozen” temporarily to make way for a complete evaluation of the anti-graft body.
• “If needed, the KPK should be temporarily deactivated. Then we should let the corruption eradication agenda handled by the National Police and the Attorney General’s Office,” Henry said.
• In response, PDI-P secretary-general Hasto Kristiyanto clarified that his party was “not in a position to dissolve the KPK.”
• During a hearing with House Commission III overseeing human rights, security and legal affairs, Attorney General M. Prasetyo added the KPK had higher enforcement authority than the AGO and the National Police.
• “KPK’s red-handed arrests are always a result of surveillance via interception. [The KPK] really relies on operations that lead to red-handed arrests,” Prasetyo told lawmakers. “[The AGO] should have similar authority. We have a nationwide network and more experience [than the KPK],” he added.
• Numerous lawmakers have proposed amendments to the KPK Law, which anticorruption activists believe is part of systematic attempt to undermine the antigraft body.

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