Niken Prathivi, Denpasar – In response to growing moves aimed to weaken the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), an alliance of NGOs in Bali declared their support for the anticorruption body.
The Bali People Exponent Alliance argued the existence of the commission was necessary in a country with rampant corruption.
The declaration was made in front of the Bali legislative council deputy speaker I.B.G. Suryatmaja on Wednesday.
The alliance urged President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to act against individuals or parties who attempted to undermine the KPK. A copy of the declaration was also sent to the Bali governor's office.
"SBY must act against anyone who condemns the KPK and stop any quarrels between the commission and other parties," said Putu Wirata Dwikora from Bali Corruption Watch.
The KPK has been under the spotlight since the arrest of its chief Antasari Azhar on a murder charge. The arrest prompted some House of Representative members to question the commission's credibility to pursue and investigate corruption cases.
Some legislators even mocked the KPK as a "super body", referring to the commission's power to tap the phones of suspects in its investigations.
In the past, however, many individuals tapped by the KPK have been legislators.
Wirata warned that should the KPK be disbanded, Indonesia would enter a "dark age" in corruption eradication. "We can't depend on public prosecutors and the police to handle special cases, as the two institutions have never succeeded in settling corruption cases," he stressed.
The NGOs later asked the Bali legislative council to issue an official recommendation to the House requesting that they maintain the KPK.
"I really hope Bali legislators can send out recommendations to the House to keep the anticorruption commission alive," added Wirata.
He further said that all parties should support the issuance of a government regulation in-lieu-of-law (Perpu) on the Corruption Court if the House failed to finish deliberating on the Corruption Court bill late next month.
"The President must also order prosecutors and police to help the KPK handle corruption cases."
Responding to the NGOs' demands, Suryatmaja said he personally agreed and supported the movement.