Gov't Will Not Interfere in Ongoing Dispute Between KPK and House of Representatives: Minister
Jakarta. Chief Security Minister Wiranto said the government does not have the capacity to interfere in the ongoing dispute between the Corruption Eradication Commission, or KPK, and the House of Representatives over the graft case surrounding national electronic identity cards, known as e-KTP.
"The president has said that it should be resolved within the legislative sphere," Wiranto said in Jakarta on Thursday (19/10).
However, Wiranto said the government will not accept any elements that weaken the antigraft agency.
"The president has repeatedly stated that the intention to weaken the KPK does not exist. Any intention to weaken the KPK must not happen," he explained.
The minister said the KPK was established to eradicate state corruption in the country.
"This point must be highlighted. The government has no intention to weaken any legal institutions that settle legal issues in Indonesia," Wiranto said.
The KPK was established in 2003 to combat corruption. In 2015, the agency discovered corruption surrounding the multi-trillion rupiah e-KTP project, in which some law makers were arrested and named as suspects.
The agency said more names will be announced in coming months. House Speaker Satya Novanto was previously declared a suspect in that case, but was later cleared after filing a pretrial motion in Jakarta.
As a result of the KPK's targeting of lawmakers surrounding the e-KTP case, the House of Representatives issued a right of inquiry to investigate the effectiveness of the antigraft body.
The KPK is currently awaiting the conclusion to a judicial review at the Constitutional Court to assess whether the House is justified in issuing their right of inquiry before answering any official summons to parliament.
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