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KPK Law should be revised if needed: Kalla
Jusuf Kalla - JP/AwoGiven that the 1945 Constitution can be amended, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Law can also be revised if necessary, according to Vice President Jusuf Kalla
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Jusuf Kalla - JP/Awo
Given that the 1945 Constitution can be amended, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Law can also be revised if necessary, according to Vice President Jusuf Kalla.
'Even the 1945 Constitution can be amended, so why are we not allowed to revise the KPK law? It is only holy books, namely the Koran, Bible and hadiths, that cannot be amended,' he said as quoted by Antara at the Vice Presidential Office in Jakarta on Monday.
A revision was needed, Kalla said, to improve a law that had been left unchanged for a long time, allowing it to adapt to new conditions.
'In principle, however, the KPK still has the duty of eradicating corruption,' said the Vice President.
He described the KPK as the world's most impressive antigraft agency, having arrested eight ministers and 14 governors in its 10 years in existence.
'Can you name any [other] country in which an antigraft body has been able to arrest eight ministers? Is there any [other] country whose antigraft body has been able to arrest 14 governors within only 10 years? The answer is no. We are the greatest in term of corruption eradication. But why do we have to stop moving forward just because there's something we have to evaluate?' said Kalla.
President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo has expressed opposition to the plan to revise the KPK Law included in the 2015 National Legislation Program (Prolegnas).
'The President has said he rejects the plan and suggestion to revise the KPK law,' said KPK acting chairman Taufiequrrahman Ruki in a press conference at the Presidential Office in Jakarta, after he attended a limited Cabinet meeting on corruption eradication led by President Jokowi.
The President, Ruki said, had rejected the plan because a revision to the KPK LAW was not among draft bills prioritized to be deliberated in this year's Prolegnas.
'Initially, the KPK Law revision was included in the 2016 Prolegnas, not 2015. I don't know why it was moved forward. But in principle, the President has rejected the revision,' he said. (ebf)(++++)
