The endless attempts to undermine the KPK evince that instead of facilitating democracy consolidation, the Reform Era actually resulted in the consolidation of oligarchies.

Early last month, the Constitutional Court (MK) turned down a judicial review filed against the revised KPK Law. We all remember that the revision of Law No. 30/2002 on the KPK went through a flawed process due to the absence of transparency and public consultancy.

The new Law No. 19/2019 strips the KPK of its authorities and independence. The systemic attempt to weaken the KPK coincided with the appointment of KPK leaders with questionable track records.

Data from Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) shows that maneuverings to undermine the KPK have been attempted many times. The weakening through the legislative process has been carried out since 2011, but to no avail due to strong public pressures.

Shortly after the Constitutional Court rejected the judicial review motion, controversy arose anew over the dismissal of 75 KPK employees who had not passed the TWK, as required by the KPK Law for them to gain civil service servant (ASN) status. Those who passed the test were installed on June 1, coinciding with the commemoration of Pancasila Day.

Corruption eradication was at the top of the reform agenda when the country embraced democracy in 1998. A number of legal products that support the corruption eradication agenda were issued, such as People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Decree No. XI/1998, Law No. 31/1999 on the eradication of corruption and Law No. 30/2002, which became the founding basis for the KPK. This is also the reason why the history of the KPK cannot be separated from the mandate of the reform movement.

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