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Antigraft movement pins hope on Constitutional Court to repeal KPK Law
Indonesia’s antigraft movement appears to have lost ground since the KPK Law revision was passed last year amid nationwide protests that failed to make any ground in restoring the KPK’s former might. Now, their only hope may lie within the halls of the Constitutional Court.
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Former commissioner of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Erry Riyana (left, pointing) attends a hearing of a petition challenging the controversial 2019 Law on the KPK at the Constitutional Court on Jan. 8. (JP/Seto Wardhana)
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ntigraft activists are pinning their hopes on the Constitutional Court to revoke the 2019 Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Law, after a year of unavailing efforts challenging the contentious law.
They have expressed the hope that the court will eventually repeal the law to restore public faith in the country’s fight against corruption, which they believe has stalled ever since the law took effect on Oct. 17.
Indonesia’s antigraft movement appears to have lost ground since the KPK Law revision was passed last year amid nationwide protests that failed to make any ground in restoring the KPK’s former might.
Adding insult to injury, a number of graft convicts have had their sentences reduced by the courts and one was even acquitted, with government officials justifying the new trend on the basis that antigraft efforts were impeding investment.
“We only hope that the court will issue a ruling stating that the law should be repealed because it was passed by the House of Representatives using improper legislative procedures. Not to mention that it will have a detrimental effect on the country’s efforts against corruption in the future,” Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) researcher Kurnia Ramadhana said in a recent webinar.
‘Rushed’ process
Kurnia is one of 13 lawyers who are assisting 14 plaintiffs, including three former KPK commissioners, in challenging the law in court. They registered their petition on Nov. 26, 2019 after accusing the House of unconstitutional conduct in the deliberation of the bill and in the process of passing it into law.
