Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) is disappointed with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo because he has failed to issue a government regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) to annul Law Number 19/2019 on the Corruption Eradication Commission (UU KPK). The ICW says that Widodo and the House of Representatives (DPR) are attempting to weaken the KPK.
“First, ICW is disappointed with the president’s position of deciding not to issue a Perppu KPK. This is actually a confirmation that the plot to weaken the KPK did indeed originate from the president and the DPR because the most possible option to save the KPK is indeed by submitting a judicial review, but a judicial review takes quite some time”, ICW researcher Kurnia Ramadhana told journalists on Friday November 1.
The ICW believes that Widodo has ignored the public’s wishes. Social groups such as students had earlier held demonstrations in several cities demanding that Widodo issue a Perppu to annul the KPK law because a number of articles in the new law are controversial.
“On the other hand meanwhile the new UU KPK is now in force and the law enforcement process at the KPK will most certainly be slowed as a consequence of the new UU KPK so a Perppu is the appropriate method. The President's [statement] today that he won’t issue a Perppu confirms that the president has ignored public input”, said Ramadhana.
Widodo’s confirmation that he will not issue a Perppu KPK was made when he announced he would inaugurate the new KPK Supervisory Board. Widodo justified this on the grounds that he is waiting on a judicial review hearing at the Constructional Court (MK).
“We see that right now there is still a judicial review process at the MK. We must respect this kind of process. Lest a person who is still in the process, of a judicial review, then suddenly is buried by another decision. I think we have to be polite in dealing with constructional law”, said Widodo at the State Palace in Central Jakarta on Friday.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was “ICW: Tak Keluarkan Perppu, Desain Pelemahan KPK Berasal dari Jokowi”.]
