Listen to Public Aspirations

KOMPAS/RADITYA HELABUMI

Protest posters bearing messages of condolence are propped up against a “coffin” displayed on Friday (13/9/2019) at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in Jakarta. Activists held a peaceful protest to mark the "death" of the KPK as a result of the revised KPK Law and the “problematic” candidates who have been selected to lead the anti-graft body for the 2019-2023 term.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The government and the House of Representatives must listen to public aspirations related to the revision of Law No. 30/2002 concerning the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). Blocking access to a dialogue means negating the most fundamental principles of a democratic state.

The House’s working committee in charge of the revision of the KPK Law is scheduled on Monday (16/9/2019) to organize a meeting with the government to be represented by Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna H Laoly and Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Minister Syafruddin.

A member of the House’s working committee for the revision of the KPK Law from the Nasdem Party faction, Taufiqulhadi, said on Sunday that several contentious articles that were still marked by differences of opinion between the government and the House would be discussed at the meeting, including articles on the supervisory board, the status of KPK employees as civil servants, the letter of order to stop an investigation and wiretapping.

KOMPAS/RADITYA HELABUMI

Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) staff gather at the KPK headquarters in Jakarta in a show of support for the anti-graft body’s leaders on Friday (13/9/2019). KPK chairman Agus Rahardjo, KPK deputy chairman Laode M. Syarif and KPK deputy chairman Saut Situmorang (not pictured) tendered their resignation and formally transferred their responsibilities to President Joko Widodo to protest the revised KPK Law and the results of the 2019-2023 KPK leadership selection process.

Room for dialogue

Previously, the House’s working committee held a closed-door meeting discussing a list of inventories and several issues that have become the concern of the government. The House’s Legislative Body (Baleg) leaders once stated that public input was no longer needed for the bill deliberation (Kompas, 13/9). The KPK also said it was waiting to hear from President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo for a talk.

"Room for public aspirations needs to be opened," Aditya Perdana, the executive director of the University of Indonesia’s (UI) Center for Political Studies said on Sunday.

If the revision of the KPK Law is approved without discussion with the public and the KPK, he said, it would violate the main principles of democracy, namely openness and transparency.

KOMPAS/WAWAN H PRABOWO

A cyclist takes a selfie on Sunday (15/9/2019) at the “Red-and-White” building of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in Kuningan, South Jakarta. President Joko Widodo has expressed his desire to meet with KPK leaders to discuss the partial revisions to Law No. 30/2002 on the KPK.

Azyumardi Azra, a professor with the Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University in Jakarta, said that currently, a new balance must be sought in relation to the controversy centering on the revision of the KPK Law. He welcomed the President\'s positive signal to have a dialogue with KPK commissioners to discuss the revision of the KPK Law.

In the House, the Gerindra Party faction and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) are mulling over the possibility of rejecting the revision of the KPK Law. Deputy chairman of the Gerindra Party, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, said that Gerindra was seriously considering rejecting the revision of the KPK Law. Meanwhile, PKS leader Mardani Ali Sera said there were indications of the potential weakening of the KPK in the KPK bill, such as restrictions on wiretapping and plans to change the status of KPK employees.

In a number of universities, rejection against the revision of the KPK Law continues to grow. One was from the Gadjah Mada University (UGM) in Yogyakarta, the President\'s alma mater.

KOMPAS/HARIS FIRDAUS

Gadjah Mada University (UGM) Board of Professors chairman Koentjoro (third left, at mic) reads a statement on behalf of the UGM academic community on Sunday (15/9/2019) in the main hall of the university in Sleman regency, Yogyakarta. The statement declaring the academics’ rejection of the systematic attempts to undermine the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and called on the government and the House of Representatives stop all deliberations on revisions to the KPK Law.

"We, UGM lecturers and academics, demand that the House and the government stop the discussion of the KPK bill," said UGM board of professors chairman Koentjoro on Sunday. (INK/SAN/NIA/HRS)