Mr. Yudhoyono supports KPK’s authority to prosecute

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has expressed his support for a strong Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) with the authority to prosecute offenders and use wiretaps.

Speaking at a media conference Wednesday, the President insisted that the bill on the Corruption Court should not contain articles that weaken the graft watchdog or the country’s ongoing fight against corruption.

Yudhoyono said he supported the KPK’s power to prosecute as the country was still in a transitional period and required the KPK to take the reigns on stamping out corruption.

“In the future, maybe 15, 20 or 30 years from now, when all other law enforcement institutions have completed their reforms, perhaps the KPK will not require some of the powers it has now. Instead it will act as a supervisor, a body that is assigned to ensure measures for ending corruption work well,” he said.

The President said it would be better for both the government and the House of Representatives to continue deliberating the articles within the law until the Dec. 19 deadline to ensure the law corresponds with the nation’s spirit “to more effectively combat corrupt practices”.

“The goal is to make efforts combating graft in the future more exact and effective. Don’t compel [politicians to endorse the bill] when some crucial issues have not yet been properly addressed,” he said.

Yudhoyono said he would use all his authority as President to ensure the corruption court would remain separate from the district courts, which will occur if the House fails to endorse the bill by deadline.