18 legislators to screen KPK aspirants

JAKARTA: Eighteen legislators have been assigned to examine the track records of 10 candidates aspiring to gain five seats in the planned Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

A. Teras Narang, chairman of the House of Representatives' Commission II for legal and home affairs, said on Wednesday that the lawmakers would be split into five teams, each investigating two candidates.

"We will visit their residences and each candidate must fill out wealth reports, which will be cross-examined on Monday and Tuesday," Teras Narang said.

President Megawati Soekarnoputri submitted the names of 10 candidates to the House, which is to select five as leaders of the planned anticorruption body to be set up later this month.

Teras Narang said the House would also require each candidate to sign a statement declaring that they had never been involved in any corrupt practices.

The candidates will be interviewed by legislators in sessions open to the public. Teras Narang also said he could not guarantee that legislators would put aside their political interests in the selection of candidates.

The KPK has the authority to investigate corruption cases and prosecute alleged corrupters. Currently it is the police and prosecutors who have such authority. -- JP