Democrat Politician Criticises Jokowi's Sudden Claim of Rejecting KPK Law Revision

Former member of the House of Representatives’ Commission III, Didik Mukrianto, has criticised a statement by Indonesia’s seventh president, Joko Widodo, who claimed to have rejected the revision of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Law in 2019 by not signing it.

Didik served on Commission III during the 2014-2019 term and was directly involved in the drafting process of the KPK Bill at the time.

Didik argued that Jokowi’s claim of opposing the KPK Bill was not serious. According to him, Jokowi could have issued a Government Regulation in Lieu of Law (Perppu) to annul the revision, but chose not to do so.

“Mr Jokowi could have issued a Perppu if he disagreed, but that option was never exercised,” Didik said when contacted on Friday (20 February).

The Democrat Party’s Deputy Secretary General did not deny that the 2019 KPK Bill was initiated by the House of Representatives. However, Didik said the process could not have proceeded without government involvement.

Moreover, he noted that the Jokowi government at the time sent its representatives along with a Presidential Letter (Surpres) to the House.

“The Jokowi government sent representatives to discuss the revision, and there was a presidential letter that enabled the process to move forward,” he said.

Didik added that whilst Jokowi could technically decline to sign the revised KPK Law, the revision would still take effect within 30 days even without the President’s signature, in accordance with Article 20, Paragraph 5 of the 1945 Constitution.

According to Didik, Jokowi’s recent statements claiming he disagreed with the revision were merely an attempt to wash his hands of the matter.

“Technically, there may be some truth to Jokowi not signing after the Bill was passed by the House, and this was indeed a House-initiated Bill, but in substance, Mr Jokowi at the time had the authority to halt or annul it,” Didik said.

Law Number 19 of 2019 concerning the KPK has come under the spotlight after Jokowi raised the issue. He claimed to support returning the KPK Law to its previous version.

He stated that the KPK Law was revised during his presidency at the initiative of the House of Representatives, but that he did not sign the revised law.

“Yes, I agree, that would be good,” Jokowi said after watching a Persis Solo match against Madura United at Manahan Stadium in Solo on Friday (13 February).