PDIP Politician: Defying Revision of KPK Law is Treason

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) politician, Kapitra Ampera, boldly stated that showing defiance against the House of Representative’s revision of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Law - which is currently strongly opposed by the public – could be treated as an act of treason.

“The current phenomenon on opposing the KPK Law revision can be categorized as an act of treason because the legislative rights in composing the Law is with the House (DPR) together with the President,” he said in a written statement on Monday, September 9.

He argues that the Law has enabled KPK’s existence, to which it must adhere to, and groups that oppose the revision would better facilitate their defiance by filing for a Judicial Review to the Supreme Court (MA) as it is the most democratic alternative available.

“It shouldn’t be done through people power when a state institution or agency is carrying out its function,” said the PDIP politician and former lawyer for Islam Defenders Front leader Rizieq Shihab.

He further claims activities such as rallying support to collectively defy the KPK Law revision as a modern subversive act that can be a bad precedent and may harm the legal system and democracy itself.

Kapitra claims that the revision of the anti-graft agency law is truly for the sake of corruption eradication, strengthening the agency, and providing legal certainty for members of the public. He deemed the substantial element revised in the law is the formation of a KPK Supervisory Board that intends to prevent the agency from abusing its powers.

CAESAR AKBAR