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AKARTA: Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) slammed lawmakers on Wednesday for refusing an article in the money laundering bill aimed to give more authority to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

The provision in the bill currently deliberated in the House of Representatives proposes to give the KPK authority to investigate money laundering cases. Lawmakers from the Golkar Party, Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and United Development Party (PPP) argue that by giving the KPK new power would worsen public trust in the police and Attorney General’s Office.

They also fear it would cause overlapping of authorities among law enforcement institutions. “It’s fishy that lawmakers object to empowering the KPK.

“It should have been potential looters of public funds raising the issue,” ICW activist Febri Diansyah said.

He pointed out it would be useless to retain the authority to investigate money laundering with the police and prosecutors because they had failed to do the job for the past seven years. — JP