TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Bambang Widjonarko, Deputy Chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), said that there are 74 House of Representatives (DPR) members involved in corruption up until April 2014. The information was announce to point out the existence of conflicts of interest if KPK leaders were to be be chosen by the DPR.
"There are quite many defendants who come from political parties and were found guilty and sentenced," said Bambang on Tuesday, April 15, 2014.
He said the number of politicians involved in corruption could rise if added with the data from similar cases handled by the police and attorney general office. Corruption itself has become more massive, systematic and structured that it needs to be handled by an independent anti-corruption institution.
According to Bambang, this situation reflects a potential intervention and conflict of interest if DPR has the authority to appoint leaders and manage structural organization of KPK. Whereas, the 1945 Constitution does not give the DPR any authority to decide, but only to approve.
FRANSISCO ROSARIANS
