DPR threatens to inquire into KPK Commission III of the House of Representatives (DPR), which oversees legal affairs, human rights and security, is pressuring the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) by threatening to exercise its right of inquiry over the anti graft body.
Commission III was not satisfied when KPK chairman Agus Rahardjo refused to provide it with a recording of its examination of a DPR member, Miriam S. Haryani. KPK leaders argued that could not release it because it was still being used as evidence in a KPK investigation into an embezzlement case involving the budget for electronic identity (e-ID) cards. The KPK maintained that an order to hand over a recording of the examination should have come from a court, not from a political institution like the DPR.
During a trial hearing, Miriam withdrew all the statements she made to KPK investigators, claiming they had pressured her. However, KPK investigator Novel Baswedan denied any intimidation. During the investigation, according to Novel, Miriam even mentioned a number of DPR members who tried to force her to revoke her statements.
Miriam\'s confession was later questioned by a number of DPR members. When the KPK leadership refused to give the DPR the evidence, a number of members of Commission III threatened to exercise their right of inquiry.
DPR resistance against the KPK\'s investigation into the e-ID case continues and likely cannot be separated from the alleged involvement of DPR members in the huge corruption scandal. Previously, the DPR sent a letter of protest to President Joko Widodo to have him cancel the KPK\'s ban on DPR speaker Setya Novanto from going overseas.
The DPR\'s right to hold an inquiry is guaranteed by the Constitution, but is an inquiry into the KPK the correct action? It does not seem so. The inquiry right allows the DPR to investigate government policy that seemingly deviates from the law, but that is not the case with the law enforcement activities carried out by the KPK.
The DPR\'s threat to inquiry into the KPK would seem to be self-serving, a reaction to how the names of DPR members were revealed during the e-ID trial. It would be better for DPR politicians to abandon the fight against the KPK and support the eradication of corruption instead, before the public loses faith in the DPR.
