TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Kalla rejects idea of police anticorruption squad
Change text size
Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
Vice President Jusuf Kalla delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) 2017 in Jakarta on May 3. (JP/Bagas Rahadian)
V
ice President Jusuf Kalla said on Tuesday that the National Police should not establish an anticorruption squad, as the force has proposed to lawmakers.
Kalla said the country should focus on optimizing the performance of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) as well as the existing anticorruption units at the police and the Attorney General's Office (AGO).
"[With] the KPK, it is enough. In fact, the police already have authority [to handle corruption cases]. That doesn't mean they need a new team to execute such responsibilities. [We] should focus on the KPK and support it," Kalla said at his office on Tuesday as quoted by antaranews.com.
The plan to establish such a squad has been fully supported by the House of Representatives.
The National Police have proposed a Rp 2.6 trillion (US$192 million) allocation from the state budget to establish the squad.
Read also: Watchdogs cautiously welcome police’s plan for antigraft squad
Around Rp 768 billion would be for the wages of 3,560 personnel, Rp 359 billion for investigation tasks and Rp 1.55 trillion for equipment and facilities.
The police's plan sparked concern from the public as it seemed to be part of a "political agenda" to undermine the KPK.
National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian said he wanted the squad to have the same authority as the KPK. The antigraft body currently has both investigative and prosecutorial powers, while the police can only conduct investigations, prosecutions must be left to the AGO.
Tito said he would elaborate on the plan to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo. (foy/bbs)
