REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- A lawmaker from the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) questioned the decision to postpone revision of the law on the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).
Junimart Girsang of the Commission III of the Parliament said the decision made jointly by the government and the Parliament leaders could trigger political "noise".
Junimart's statement was contrary to public reactions that generally approved the postponement.
The move to revise the law has been led by PDIP faction in contrary to the position of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), who repeatedly said he was against revision if it was to weaken KPK.
The revision has been widely believed as a move to weaken the agency despite statements by the majority factions in the Parliament that the revision would strengthen KPK.
Even the new KPK Chairman Agus Rahardjo said he would resign if the process of revision was not stopped.
The statement by the KPK leader was made ahead the meeting between President Jokowi and Parliament Speaker Ade Komarudin that ended with the decision to postpone the revision.
Junimart said the draft revision was initiated by the Parliament and was already approved by the government.
"The government already approved the draft revision at the level of legislation, but how come now the government postpones it?..Why postpone it, why not just drop it and take it out from the legislation program for 2016," he said at a plenary session of the Parliament here on Tuesday.
He criticized some expert who had issued statements opposing the move to revise the KPK law .
He said he doubted the experts had issued statements without studying and reading the draft revision.
The decision to postpone move to revise the KPK law was made at a two-hour meeting between President Jokowi and Speaker Ade Komarudin on Monday.
Jokowi said after the meeting, that he appreciated the political dynamics at the Parliament .
"I think enough time is needed for the socialization of the planned revision to the public," he said.
There are four crucial points in the draft revision seen as potential to weaken KPK including the forming of a KPK watchdog, restriction on tapping authority, regulation on recruitment of KPK investigators and authority for KPK to drop cases.
Authority for KPK to drop cases is feared to give room for bargaining in its decision.
Tapping authority has contributed most to KPK success in arresting corruption suspects.
KPK could not have way to arrest big corruption suspects without tapping , observers have said.
A profession of the Indonesian Islam University Edy Suadi Hamid said said "KPK has done well so far. So what is the urgency of revision."
KPK chairman Agus Rahadjo said he had recommended to the president postponement of the revision move until the country has reached a Corruption Perception Index (IPK) of 50.
In 2015, the country's IPK was 36 points or two points higher than in 2014, but still lower than the ASEAN average of 40 points.
Indonesia is still below Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.
Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika