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ICW calls attempts to revise KPK Law 'premeditated murder'
(Kompas/Roderick Adrian Mozes)Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) has said that efforts by lawmakers to limit the lifetime of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) amounted to premeditated murder against the anti-graft body
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(Kompas/Roderick Adrian Mozes) (Kompas/Roderick Adrian Mozes)
(Kompas/Roderick Adrian Mozes)
Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) has said that efforts by lawmakers to limit the lifetime of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) amounted to premeditated murder against the anti-graft body.
'It is not only to weaken the KPK. It is premeditated murder. After 12 years, the KPK should die," said ICW's legal and monitoring division coordinator Emerson Yuntho as reported by kompas.com at a meeting with Democratic Party politicians in Jakarta on Saturday.
The revision bill of Law No 30/2002 on the KPK, according to Emerson, does not reflect any efforts by the House of Representatives to support the eradication of corruption. Instead, he said, if approved into law, it would be a setback for the country's efforts in fighting graft.
'Ideally, any revision should turn a good law into a better law. But that is not the case here. Therefore, we reject it,' Emerson added.
'We don't want the KPK to be killed off. I expect assurances from the Democratic Party to support the KPK,' said Emerson.
Meanwhile, on the second day of protests, more than 34,000 people on Saturday expressed their support for a petition to reject the revision of the KPK Law.
Through the petition on change.org, entitled Don't Kill the KPK, Stop the Revision of the KPK Law, people sent open letters to President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo and leaders of the House of Representatives to oppose the revision.
Hani, a resident of Bandung, expressed her disappointment with lawmakers' efforts to revise the law. 'It is irrational. We have to fight corruption and therefore the KPK must exist continuously. Is there any guarantee that there is no corruption after 12 years?' asked Hani, who backed the petition.
She also questioned the reason for the revision bill to limit KPK investigations only to cases worth at least Rp 50 billion (US3.69 million).
Other supporters of the petition made similar comments, calling on lawmakers to consider the interests of the people rather than their own interests. (bbn)(++++)
