Balikpapan, East Kalimantan – The national antigraft body has unveiled a new online service it says will allow citizens to report on corruption allegations without fear of retribution.
Yuli Kristiyono, an official in the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) public complaints unit, said on Thursday that people could make use of the KPK Whistleblower System.
Speaking at a workshop on public participation in tackling graft, he said the KWS Web site – kws.kpk.go.id – was intended for whistleblowers who did not want their identities revealed or who did not have time to file a formal report with the KPK.
Yuli said the system was designed to help boost relations between the public and the KPK, whose previously impeccable reputation has taken a hit in recent months following allegations that it was losing its commitment in the national drive against corruption.
However, he pointed out that not all graft allegations could be accepted by the KPK. "Anyone using the service must have adequate information to back up their allegation of corruption in a [government] office or bureau," Yuli said. "In addition, the total value of the alleged corruption must be no less than Rp 1 billion [$114,000]."
The introduction of the KPK's whistleblower Web site is the latest step by law enforcement officials to roll out better protection for those bringing corruption cases to light, following criticism over the jailing of two high-profile whistleblowers in major graft cases.
Under the 2006 Law on Witness Protection, whistleblowers are not immune from prosecution if they are involved in the crime they report.
Controversial police general-turned-whistleblower Comr. Gen. Susno Duadji last year unsuccessfully challenged the law after police, who had him in custody for two corruption charges, refused to hand him over to the Victim and Witness Protection Agency (LPSK).
In a ruling in September 2010, the Constitutional Court ruled that even a whistleblower deemed indispensable to cases could be prosecuted if they were involved in the crime.
In one of the more high-profile cases highlighting the issue, former legislator Agus Condro Prayitno was convicted and imprisoned for taking a bribe to vote for Miranda Goeltom as a senior Bank Indonesia official – a case that only came to light through his reporting of it.