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KPK leaders throw their hands up
Antigraft activists have lambasted Jokowi and the government for their lack of efforts to protect the KPK.
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We’re done here: Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman Agus Rahardjo, accompanied by KPK commissioners Saut Situmorang and Laode Muhammad Syarif, speaks to journalists in a press conference at the KPK headquarters in South Jakarta on Friday. They handed back their mandates for KPK leadership to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to express their disappointment over his support for the planned revision of the KPK Law. (JP/Seto Wardhana)
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n response to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s go-ahead for the deliberation of a law amendment that is expected to weaken the country’s antigraft agency, three senior Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) officials said on Friday that they would return their mandates to the President.
KPK chairman Agus Rahardjo and deputy chairmen Saut Situmorang and Laode Muhammad Syarif held a press conference on Friday evening in response to the President’s approval for the deliberation of the amendment of the 2002 KPK Law, which could, among other changes, limit the KPK’s ability to use wiretapping during an investigation.
Although it was thought by many that their abrupt announcement amounted to their resignation, they did not confirm this.
"After thorough consideration, we as the highest people in charge of the KPK, with a heavy heart, declare today that we will hand over the responsibility for the KPK to the President. We'll wait for the President's instructions as to whether we are still to be trusted until [their end of tenure in] December and whether we should operate as usual," Agus said.
Agus said the KPK leaders were shocked to learn about the surprise deliberation of the law after it had been stalled for the past two years. The House of Representatives’ announcement on the deliberation two weeks ago coincided with the final selection process of the next batch of KPK leaders, who will start their tenure in December.
He said the antigraft agency leaders had never been informed about the draft amendment and they would wait for the President to invite them to discuss the matter, as the KPK had never been involved in talks regarding the law's revision.
"We, up to today, never saw the draft of the law revision. It feels like deliberations on the draft were done secretly. I've also heard a rumor that the draft will be agreed very soon. This makes us question their interest in rushing ahead with the passing of the law," he said.
