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Jokowi wants Criminal Code’s corruption-related articles reviewed
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Fighting corruption: President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo (left), accompanied by Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto (second left) and Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly (third left), meets with Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman Agus Rahardjo (third right) and KPK commissioners Laode M Syarif (fourth right), Saut Situmorang (fifth right), Basaria Panjaitan (second right) and Alexander Marwata at the Bogor Palace on July 4. (Antara/Puspa Perwitasari)
P
resident Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has instructed his aides to review corruption-related articles in the Criminal Code bill and has set no deadline for the approval of the revision.
He made the request in response to concerns raised by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).
During their meeting at the Bogor Palace on Wednesday, Jokowi and KPK commissioners discussed the revision of the Criminal Code, which the antigraft body believes could threaten its authority.
KPK chairman Agus Rahardjo said the commissioners had maintained their stance that it would be better if corruption-related matters were not regulated under the Criminal Code because it could threaten the body’s powers and did not provide any benefits for corruption eradication efforts.
(Read also: Jokowi, KPK to meet to discuss Criminal Code revision)
Agus said the President had instructed his ministers not to set a deadline for the bill's ratification and asserted that the corruption-related articles in the bill would be reviewed in light of the suggestions made by the KPK.
“There will not be a deadline [for the ratification of the bill],” Agus said. The previous deadline was set for Aug. 17, coinciding with the 73rd anniversary of Indonesia's Independence Day.
The KPK previously criticized a number of the articles in the bill that it deemed carried lighter punishments. It also said a section of the bill regulating special and extraordinary crimes, including corruption, drug-related crimes and human rights violations, could curtail its powers.
“If [the section] can be removed from the Criminal Code bill, the codification will be much faster,” said KPK commissioner Laode M. Syarief. (ebf)
