Fransisco Rosarians, Jakarta – Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno has issued another controversial statement.

This time, he was commenting on a threat by Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) staff to go on strike if all of the commission’s leaders are declared suspects by the national police and forced to resign. “[Go on strike], no way, just like workers”, said Purdijatno at his office on Friday February 5.

Purdijatno believes that KPK staff should not adopt an attitude like workers who often issue threats to stop work when they are conveying their demands. Nevertheless, he claimed that he is sure that staff at the anti-corruption agency will not go on strike. “It’s up to them. But what exactly do they mean”, he said.

Earlier, KPK deputy for corruption prevention Johan Budi state that some of the commission’s staff would return their mandate and duties to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo if all of the KPK’s leadership is declared suspects. According to Budi, there will be no point in having KPK staff who cannot work because the anti-corruption agency is paralysed.

KPK staff issued the threat because they believe that Jokowi is taking too long to make a decision on ending the polemic between the KPK and the national police. The delay in making the decision has in fact created other problems that are far worse, namely the criminalisation of KPK leaders and paralyzing the commission.

[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the report was Menteri Tedjo: Pegawai KPK Kayak Buruh.]

Source: http://www.tempo.co/read/news/2015/02/06/078640549/Menteri-Tedjo-Pegawai-KPK-Kayak-Buruh