House takes initiative to revise KPK law

JAKARTA. The House of Representatives’ head of Legislation Body (Baleg) Sareh Wiyono said the House was now taking the initiative to revise Law No. 30/2002 on the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), which was initially proposed by the government, due to the latter’s slow response following up the discussion of the law revision.

“It must first be confirmed whether the government intends to revise the 2002 KPK Law. It is part of the House’s initiative,” he said during a Baleg meeting at the House complex in Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday as quoted by kompas.com.

At the same occasion, Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) faction member, Hendrawan Supratikno, said he was certain that the revision of the KPK Law would be completed faster if it became a House initiative.

“[...] Based on my experience, completing a law revision is faster if the revision becomes a House initiative instead of a government initiative, as the government’s problem inventory list (DIM) is single in nature,” said Hendrawan.

Sareh explained six House factions have so far suggested the KPK Law revision should be a House initiative: the NasDem Party, the National Awakening Party (PKB), the Golkar Party, the Hanura Party, the United Development Party (PPP) and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) factions.

On the contrary, Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) faction member Al Muzzammil Yusuf said the KPK Law revision should still be the initiative of the government because a government proposed law revision would be much more favourable.

“Amid low public trust toward the House, we have put forward an opinion that is different from what has been proposed by several other factions,” he said.

Al Muzzammil added that the current KPK Law had been in effect for 13 years and the House had various reasons for proposing a KPK Law revision.

However, the lawmaker said that if the revision was based on a House initiative, it would not be effective.

“It is wiser if the revision comes from the government and all factions in the House respond to it along with their respective DIM,” he said.