Ridho Hizbullah, Jakarta – House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Fadli Zon has said he does not support the creation of local offices of the Corruption Eradication Commission, or KPK.

Fadli said the government should strengthen the capacity of the police and prosecutors to secure corruption convictions instead of spreading the KPK to the regions.

"The KPK was formed because [police and prosecutors] were seen as being not capable of corruption eradication," Fadli said on Thursday at the House. "If it goes on there will be overlapping between the institutions, so it's best to strengthen the police and prosecutors instead.

"What if the KPK doesn't perform well? We'd have to make a supervisory agency for KPK. That's not a good way of thinking," he said.

Former KPK Deputy Chairman Busyro Muqoddas said on Wednesday that the KPK had used only Rp 9 trillion ($734 million) during its 11 years of operation. He said the antigraft agency had saved up to Rp 250 trillion in potential losses to the state.

House Commission III will soon debate whether the plan to open local offices of the KPK is the most cost-effective measure to combat graft in the regions.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/opening-local-kpk-branches-bad-idea-fadli-zon/