President denies undermining KPK

Jakarta, NU Online
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said here Friday that reports claiming he was aiming to weaken the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) were part of smear campaign against him in the presidential election.

At a press conference held especially to address the issue, Yudhoyono said he was fully committed to fighting graft, and that the public should look back on his track record over the past four-and-a-half years before judging him.

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"I have to respond to attacks against me, which I think have gone too far - too naked and improper in this competition," he told reporters.

Media and anti-graft activists slammed the President on Friday after Kompas daily news published his statements on the KPK's "extraordinary" powers.

"In regard to the KPK, I have really given a warning that power must not go unchecked.

"The KPK already has extraordinary power. It seems it must only answer to God," Yudhoyono told Kompas editorial staff during his visit to the newspaper on Wednesday.

Observers said the statement was an indication that Yudhoyono wanted to control the anti-graft body and reduce its authority.

On Friday, more than 30 civil society groups nationwide, under the banner of the Coalition for Saving Corruption Eradication Efforts, slammed Yudhoyono's statement as contradictory to the spirit of corruption eradication, a threat to the existence of the KPK.

The group included Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW), the Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH Jakarta) and the National Consortium for Law Reform.

"In his campaigns, Yudhoyono always says he is committed to corruption eradication. But what he said was completely the other way around," Danang Widoyoko of ICW said.

"I recommend *Yudhoyono* not believe he has the power to control all institutions in the country. The KPK is an independent body, not a government institution," Dadang said.

Muji Kartika Rahayu from the National Consortium for Law Reform said Yudhoyono should refer to the Constitution.

"The Constitution stipulates that the President is the leader of the government and therefore he should not intervene with the KPK. That is very clear," Muji said.

The group said Yudhoyono's instruction for the Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP) to audit the KPK was a blatant indication of intervention.

Yudhoyono, however, denied allegations he had instructed the BPKP to audit the KPK.

"I am surprised to read media reports suggesting that the President has ordered the BPKP to audit the KPK's performance.

"There was never any presidential instruction ordering the BPKP to audit a, b or c institutions because it already has its own *job description*," Yudhoyono said.

"BPKP conducts audits on internal government institutions. It is not in its authority to conduct audits of state institutions that are not under the President.

"I couldn't possibly ask the BPKP to audit such institutions, including the KPK," he said.

Yudhoyono said he would ask BPKP executives to clarify publicly what they were doing at the KPK.

Separately, BPKP chief Didi Widayadi, however, insisted he was working under an unwritten Presidential order, and that his office would continue its plan to audit the KPK based on the 2008 government decree to monitor the use of the state budget.

Didi insisted what he was doing was in accordance with the law.

"If the KPK rejects our audit then we can suspect something is being hidden," he said.

Meanwhile, KPK deputy chairman for prevention M Jasin said the KPK had also acted according to its legal duty, requesting the BPKP reevaluate its plan.

"Besides, I think there are enough BPKP officials here at the KPK already," he said. (jp/dar)