Irawaty Wardany , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Thu, 07/16/2009 11:59 AM | Headlines
In the face of incessant attacks aimed at weakening the body, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) continues to receive support from various organizations.
On Wednesday, a group of NGOs gathered together as the Love Indonesia, Love KPK movement (Cicak, or gecko in Indonesian) visited KPK headquarters to offer the institution their support.
Members of the movement include, among others, Transparency International Indonesia (TII), the Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) and the Indonesia Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI).
“We have come here today because we are concerned with the developments that have taken place since the president held a coordination meeting with all departments related to corruption eradication,” TII secretary-general Teten Masduki told a press conference.
He added that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had not made a big enough effort to maintain the KPK, which has performed its task well so far.
In a coordination meeting with the KPK, the National Police, the Attorney General’s Office and the Supreme Audit Agency held Monday, Yudhoyono said efforts to eradicate corruption must be focused on prevention.
“The government says it wants to prevent corruption through bureaucratic reform and by closing all loopholes that open opportunities for corruption to take place,” Teten said.
“Such statements are dangerous. I suspect this is part of efforts to eliminate the KPK, as happened to the State Officials’ Wealth Audit Commission [KPKPN] in 2004.”
The KPK is seen as a threat by many lawmakers, as it has successfully prosecuted numerous government officials, including Yudhoyono’s in-law.
However, it is believed the arrest of now suspended KPK chief Antasari Azhar, who is accused of masterminding the murder of businessman Nasruddin Zulkarnaen, is being used as an opportunity for corrupt officials to weaken the KPK.
State Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP) chief, Didi Widayadi, visited the KPK the day after Yudhoyono characterized the KPK as a “superbody”.
Didi said he would audit the KPK’s financial performance, including its wiretapping operations.
The announcement was criticized by antigraft campaigners, who said the BPKP was not authorized to audit state institutions that are not under the authority of the President.
However, State Minister for Administrative Reforms, Taufik Effendi, said that BPKP could audit the KPK’s secretariat general because it uses state money.
Antigraft activist Emerson Yuntho from the ICW harshly criticized Taufik, saying, “it is his ministry that should be audited by the BPKP to see whether it has successfully made internal reforms.
“The audit should be done because the ministry is leading bureaucratic reform in Indonesia.”
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