Nurfika Osman, Jakarta – Antigraft activists on Friday said that while the two candidates to lead the Corruption Eradication Commission had solid credentials, they would still be challenged to withstand political pressure and cooperate with law enforcement.

"Both of them have enough knowledge and experience in the field; the question is whether they will be able to handle pressure," said Ibrahim Fahmi Badoh, head of Indonesia Corruption Watch's political corruption division.

He was referring to Judicial Commission Chairman Busyro Muqoddas and rights and antigraft activist Bambang Widjojanto, both of whom are vying for the chairmanship of the antigraft commission, known as the KPK.

Busyro, speaking at the presidential palace on Wednesday, said that the KPK could not work alone and needed cooperation from law enforcement.

Ibrahim agreed, saying that the biggest challenge facing the KPK was strengthening relations with the National Police, the Attorney General's Office, the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) and the State Finance and Development Comptroller (BPKP).

"In the ideal system, every one of these institutions should work together," he said. "Unfortunately, they often work by themselves."

The KPK's tensions with the National Police and the AGO were highlighted last year after two deputy KPK chairmen were charged with extortion and abuse.

Wiretapped conversations played by the Constitutional Court indicated the involvement of prosecutors and police officials in what appeared to be fabricated charges, and the case remains unsolved.

Boyamin Saiman, chairman of the Indonesian Anti-Corruption Society (MAKI), also emphasized the importance of cooperation between the agencies.

"[The KPK] should be able to work with the National Police and the AGO very effectively," Boyamin told the Globe. "The key is that they should support each other. They should not try to bring each other down."

Bonyamin, though, remained optimistic about the KPK. "We will have new National Police, AGO and KPK chiefs – it's a sign that we can have a better system for fighting corruption. We also need the civil society and press to help us," he said.

Ibrahim also stressed that the next leader must maintain the integrity of the KPK. "Integrity, for the commission, is of the greatest importance," he said. "Otherwise, people will not trust the commission anymore."

But he had a warning for the candidates. "Pressure will come from politicians and the government. [The candidates] need to show consistency in fighting corruption," he said.

Ibrahim expressed concern that, despite their qualifications, the candidates may not be able to handle the pressure. "They have not been tested with real pressure from the political world. We have seen that good figures, the previous chairmen, have failed to fight the pressure," he said.

Ibrahim also supported a plan pitched by Bambang calling for systematic legal changes to enhance the authorities of the KPK.

Bambang has said that while a 1999 law nominally allows the KPK to access and investigate wealth reports filed by state officials, another law governing the KPK made it impossible for the commission to actually use the reports for investigative purposes.

Currently, Bambang says, the KPK does not have the authority to act against suspected rogue officials.