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PKS, third party to reject KPK Law amendment
A coffin emblazoned with the message âRevise the [Corruption Eradication Commission] KPK Lawâ is seen after being sent to the antigraft bodyâs headquarters in South Jakarta on Oct
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span class="inline inline-center">A coffin emblazoned with the message 'Revise the [Corruption Eradication Commission] KPK Law' is seen after being sent to the antigraft body's headquarters in South Jakarta on Oct. 20. (Kompas/Ambaranie Nadia KM)
Opposition to the planned amendment to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Law is strengthening in the House of Representatives as the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) has followed the Democratic Party (PD) and Gerindra Party in rejecting the proposed amendment.
"The PKS faction meeting on Thursday resulted in an agreement to oppose the continued deliberation of the KPK Law amendment," said the chairman of the PKS's faction at the House, Jazuli Juwaini, in Jakarta on Friday as reported by kompas.com.
The PKS would only agree to the amendment if it aimed to strengthen the anti-graft body by enabling the KPK to handle bigger cases, Jazuli said, adding that any revision of the KPK Law must also involve KPK commissioners so that representatives of the government and the House would get valuable input on the amendment.
During a meeting of the House's Legislation Body (Baleg) on Wednesday, only Gerindra rejected the amendment process. The following day, the PD also announced its new stance of opposing the amendment based on an instruction from party chairman Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
The House had postponed Thursday's plenary session, which, among other issues, was due to begin the deliberation of the KPK Law amendment, following the announcement of the PD's new stance.
Among the controversial new articles in the amendment are the formation of a KPK supervisory body, limits on KPK investigators' power to wiretap and the ability of the KPK to stop investigations in certain circumstances.
Anticorruption activists have expressed concern that amending the KPK Law will weaken the anti-corruption body
With the PKS's move, the amendment is currently supported only by the members of the ruling coalition: the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Hanura Party, Golkar Party, National Awakening Party (PKB), National Mandate Party (PAN), United Development Party (PPP) and NasDem Party. (bbn) (+)
