The Indonesian public considers the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) the law enforcement institute with the highest integrity, a new survey revealed on Thursday.

The survey was conducted by the KPK between February and June, and polled 2,191 respondents in six major cities across the country.

It put the Attorney General's Office (AGO) at the lowest level of credibility in fighting corruption in the country, behind the courts and the police.

Some 82.11 percent of respondents believed the KPK was the most trustworthy law enforcer, with only 2.19 percent putting their faith in the AGO.

By comparison, 5.89 percent and 10.09 percent of respondents said they trusted the National Police and the Supreme Court, respectively.

The public perception survey seems to confirm previous studies on anti-corruption practices within the country's law enforcement institutions.

In December 2007, a Transparency International Indonesia study ranked the police as the most corrupt institute, followed by the judicial and legislative bodies.

The negative public perception of the AGO appeared to be influenced by the arrest by the KPK of one of its senior prosecutors for allegedly accepting a bribe from businesswoman Artalyta Suryani.

Prosecutor Urip Tri Gunawan was caught red-handed by the KPK receiving Rp 6 billion (US$660,000) in an alleged bribe from Artalyta, who was linked to tycoon Sjamsul Nursalim, once a suspect in a Bank Indonesia liquidity support (BLBI) fund graft case.

Urip and Artalyta were arrested two days after an AGO investigation into Sjamsul, which was conducted by a team led by Urip, was unexpectedly dropped.

Respondents in the survey said they placed a high level of trust in the KPK because they believed the institute was independent, courageous and all-powerful in carrying out its job.

However, more than 70 percent of respondents perceived the KPK's handling of graft cases as discriminative, while 66 percent said they wanted the body to prove it could eradicate corruption.

The survey also indicated a need for the KPK to promote its activities, with only 54 percent of respondents saying they were familiar with the anti-graft body.

Despite the fact many high-ranking officials and lawmakers have been arrested by the KPK, 72 percent of respondents believed the institution had failed to create a "culture of shame" among state officials taking bribes and involved in graft cases.

Public perception of the level of corruption in the government before and after the KPK's establishment was virtually unchanged, the survey found.

It said 52 percent of respondents said no improvement was made at all after the KPK was established.

"The KPK will use the survey results as a basis to fix its internal system so we can be more transparent, consistent and accountable in carrying out our duty of eradicating corruption," KPK spokesman Johan Budi S.P. said.

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