Markus Junianto Sihaloho – The House of Representatives is fed up with the antigraft agency and is just waiting for public approval before introducing sweeping reforms to the body, a legislator said on Friday.
Bambang Soesatyo, from House Commission III, which oversees legal affairs, said substantial revisions to the statutes governing the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) were urgently needed in order to make it perform better and exhibit greater independence.
"The desire to amend the 2002 KPK Law arises from the KPK's work, which has fallen short of expectations," he said. "Lots of major cases like the Bank Century scandal remain unresolved, so we hope that the planned amendment is welcomed [by the public] because its aim is to help the KPK recover."
Bambang cited the decision by the Bandung Anti-Corruption Court on Tuesday to acquit a graft suspect as a clear indication that the KPK needed to be reformed. Prior to this case, KPK prosecutors had enjoyed a 100 percent conviction rate in trials at anti-corruption courts.
"This loss should prompt some introspection. Perhaps it's time that the KPK made public the track records of its investigators, directors and other top officials. What's really going on in there?" he said.
The remarks from the outspoken Golkar Party legislator are just the latest salvo in a long-running campaign of criticism by the House aimed at the antigraft body.
Last week, Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) legislator Fahri Hamzah urged the government to disband the KPK, accusing it of being a "superbody." He also accused it of attempting to "demolish" the House and of "seeking fame," adding that antigraft officials were overpaid.
However, Bambang denied that the House was engaged in a vendetta with the KPK, which has over the years arrested and jailed a long succession of legislators on various graft charges.
He said that in spite of its apparent focus on legislators, the House always gave the KPK priority in funding and had even increased its funding every year.
He added the House had allocated Rp 575 billion ($65 million) for the agency this year, up from Rp 398 billion last year, and planned to give it Rp 635 billion in 2012. This year, Rp 170 billion is for investigating and prosecuting cases.
However, the Indonesian Forum for Budget Transparency (Fitra) said earlier this week that funding for the KPK's anti-corruption efforts in 2011 only amounted to Rp 19 billion, down from Rp 26 billion in 2010.
Bambang said the KPK was not using its funding as efficiently as the police or the Attorney General's Office.
"Of the 50 cases that the KPK investigated in 2010, only nine went to trial," he said. "The police investigated 43 cases and sent 15 to trial, while the AGO investigated 66 and tried 28. This means the KPK needs to work harder."