TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The government has refused to Attorney General Agung Muhammad Prasetyo’s proposal to shackle the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). “The President is not willing to restrict the KPK’s power,” said Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung yesterday.

Pramono added that the KPK’s issues should be addressed by rectifying them instead of restricting the agency’s power. Moreover, he said, President Joko Widodo alias Jokowi has always wanted everyone to help protect the KPK.

Joko said last week that he would not let anyone weakens the KPK. The President even encouraged people to help eradicate and fight corruption.

Read: Attorney General Looks into Report against KPK Leader

Earlier, Attorney General Agung Prasetyo has said that he backed the House of Representatives (DPR) plan to revise the Law on Corruption Eradication Commission in a bid to restrict the agency’s power.

The National Democrat Party politician has said that the KPK’s power to prosecute should be revoked. He pointed to the examples of the anti-graft agencies of Singapore and Malaysia that only have the power to investigate but are capable of carrying out effective corruption eradication efforts.

Aside from prosecution, the Attorney General challenged the KPK’s power to execute verdicts and questioned the warring faction among its investigators. Feri Amsari, the Director of Constitutional Study at the Legal Faculty of Andalas University, said that the Attorney General’s stance contradicts President Jokowi’s statement.

ADITYA BUDIMAN | HUSSEIN ABRI DONGORAN