Facing this fresh rain of criticism, Marzuki has stayed calm and says he forgives his detractors “because they do not know what they have said and done”.  He has also challenged his critics to report him to the Council of Ethics, saying he will voluntarily step down if it is proven he was wrong.

Marzuki has been criticized in the past for statements about the resettlement of quake victims from Mentawai in West Sumatra and the involvement of low-income, politically uneducated people in protesting the House’s new building project.

He says he accepts the disapproval because his critics do not understand exactly what he was trying to say. He also stands by his statement about the KPK.

“It is better to dissolve the KPK if the selection committee cannot get credible candidates to lead the war on corruption. It is a waste of time and energy if the KPK is led by untrustworthy commissioners like what has occurred,” he said referring to commissioners Chandra M. Hamzah and M. Jassin and investigator Ade Rahardja, who reportedly met with graft suspect Muhammad Nazaruddin.

Marzuki says he is deeply disappointed with the KPK, not only for its lack of credible commissioners and investigators but also for its poor performance.

“The three should be suspended in order to undergo an objective investigation because they have already admitted to having met with Nazaruddin as secretary of the Democratic Party faction at the House Saan Mustopa has testified, but so far no questioning has been conducted. Besides, many sides have also expressed their dissatisfaction with the KPK, which they said has deployed ‘a selective cutting’ in handling graft cases. So what should we maintain the KPK for if it fails to contribute to the nation and its people?”

He cited the KPK’s reluctance to investigate the budget mafia among certain legislators and the alleged graft in connection with the Rp 1.3 trillion (US$153.4 million) building project at the House. If the KPK was proactive in acting against corruption, with support from the President and with the presumption of innocence, it should question Democratic Party chair Anas Urbaningrum and other party officials who Nazaruddin said received funds stolen from the government projects of certain ministries, including the athlete’s dormitory construction project in Palembang, South Sumatra.

The 56-year-old politician says he is not afraid of criticism and condemnation, and his long experience in political, social and religious organizations have made him somewhat mature in handling his rivals and those who oppose him.

“I fear only God and I will be safe under His strength. I do not fear critics and political rivals because I am sure of what I am doing and saying for the sake of the nation and the people.”

Marzuki’s wife, Asmawati, says she and their two children have advised him not to create controversy. “Our eldest son studying at the University of Indonesia has frequently complained to me after receiving similar criticism from his fellow students,” said Asmawati, who accompanied Marzuki in the interview at their home in Halim, East Jakarta.

Marzuki, also deputy chair of the Democratic Party’s Patron Board, said he has defended his political stance before his wife and their two children, saying the Constitution guarantees his right to express his opinion and that he is committed to helping the people in his role as House speaker.

He says he loves the Democratic Party and the House, but did say the two institutions were filled with troubled people working only to enrich themselves.

“I am confused by the public’s logic. When I campaigned for the Democratic Party and the House’s strong commitment to eradicating corruption I was accused of protecting corruptors in the two institutions. But when I proposed the dissolution of the KPK, a similar accusation was also made against me. We do need a powerful KPK led by credible people with high integrity to eradicate corruption and allow people to enjoy the fruits of development,” he said, adding that the public and the press should selectively accept information from Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW), which receives donations from foreign companies.

Marzuki has persuaded the President and senior party figures to rid the party of troubled members in order to win back the people’s confidence in the party for 2014.

“The party’s Council of Ethics is working hard to collect evidence and data to process troubled party officials, including Anas and deputy chair Johnny Allen Marbun, legislators Angelina Sondakh and Nazaruddin’s brother Nasir,” he said, saying the three legislators — who are suspects in graft cases — would be immediately suspended.

Asked about his involvement in graft cases, Marzuki said he was not an angel but was also not as dirty as many others.

He admitted that many businesspeople, including Nazaruddin, have offered him money, either during the Democratic Party congress last year in Bandung or in his current position at the House, but he politely turned the money down.

“Several brought me a lot of money when they heard I was building a boarding school and a grand mosque in Palembang, but I rejected it and asked them to donate the money directly to the construction committee,” he said, saying he has taken a Rp 25 billion bank loan to finish the construction of the boarding school. 

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