T

he House of Representatives Corruption Court Bill working committee says only district career attorneys, not appointed ones, are authorized to prosecute in future corruption cases.

"We originally reached an agreement that two prosecutors would have the authority to prosecute incorruption cases. One will come from district attorney offices; the other will be specially appointed by the Corruption Eradication Commission *KPK*," said Arbab Paproeka, the National Mandate Party (PAN) committee chairman.

"However, during our later meetings with the government, it was decided the most proper method to handle corruption cases was by using one prosecutor. He or she should come from district attorney offices, not be appointed by the KPK. The KPK's function should only be in the context of investigating corruption cases, not in the prosecution."

Anticorruption groups have accused the House and the government of trying to amputate corruption eradication efforts by limiting the influence of the KPK on prosecution in corruption cases.

Transparency International Indonesia (TII) Executive Director Todung Mulya Lubis said Saturday the KPK's influence on prosecution was still needed, claiming district attorney prosecutors' integrities remained badly tarnished.

However, Arbab said the idea was developing not because the House and the government wanted to reduce the KPK's authority, but because they wanted the bill, should it be passed into law, to be fully synchronized with a Constitutional Court ruling issued in 2006. Pre-2006, the Corruption Court was established under the KPK law, not the law on judicial powers.