House delays approval of KPK law revision

JAKARTA. The House of Representatives on Thursday postponed a plenary meeting to discuss revisions of the law governing the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) because House leaders were not available for it.

Initially, the plenary meeting was planned so as to seek approval for the amendments of the 2002 KPK law as a House initiative. It was the second time the House delayed a plenary meeting to get the necessary approval.

“We’ve decided to postpone the meeting because most of the House leaders are not in Jakarta,” said House legislative body (Baleg) deputy chairman Firman Subagyo.

Out of five House leaders, only House Speaker Ade Komarudin was in Jakarta for the meeting. House deputy speaker Fadli Zon is currently on duty in Aceh. There is no clear information on the whereabouts of the remaining three deputy speakers.

Firman said the plenary meeting is now scheduled to be held on Feb. 23. The first canceled meeting had been scheduled for Feb. 11.

As of Feb. 8, the House legislative body had harmonized 12 of the points included in the draft KPK law revisions. In a plenary meeting on Feb.10, the body agreed to further discuss the amendments, a decision that was supported by nine House factions, but not the Gerindra Party. On the following day, the Democratic Party withdrew its support for the revisions on the order of the party chairman, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) later also decided to reject the deliberation of the revisions, leaving them with support from only seven House factions. They are the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the Hanura Party, the Golkar Party, the National Awakening Party (PKB), the National Mandate Party (PAN), the United Development Party (PPP) and the NasDem Party.

The revision of the KPK law is listed as a priority in the 2016 National Legislation Program (Prolegnas). The House has 40 priority bills on the Prolegnas 2016, which must be finished this year. (Erika Anindita)