Jokowi Agrees with Abraham Samad's Proposal to Reinstate the Old KPK Law
Solo, CNN Indonesia – Indonesia’s seventh president, Joko Widodo, responded to the discourse on reverting the Corruption Eradication Commission Law (KPK Law) to its version prior to the revision. The proposal was put forward by KPK Chairman for the 2011–2015 period, Abraham Samad Riyanto, during a meeting with President Prabowo Subianto in Kertanegara on Friday (1/30).
Jokowi welcomed Abraham Samad’s proposal. “Yes, I agree, that’s good,” Jokowi replied after watching Persis Solo play against Madura United at Manahan Stadium in Solo on Friday (2/13).
The KPK Law was revised in 2019 while Jokowi was still serving as president. Many parties considered the revision to have weakened the KPK’s ability to eradicate corruption in Indonesia.
Jokowi claimed he never proposed the changes to the KPK Law. The legislation was amended on the initiative of the House of Representatives.
“That was the House’s initiative, you know. Don’t get it wrong. It was the House’s initiative,” he stressed.
He himself never signed the KPK Law revision. “At the time, it was revised on the initiative of the House of Representatives. But I never signed it,” he said.
In addition to reinstating the old KPK Law, Abraham Samad also proposed tightening the selection process for KPK commissioners. He also asked President Prabowo to rehire 57 former KPK employees and investigators who were dismissed for failing the national insight test.
In response, Jokowi did not comment much. “Let that be in accordance with existing provisions and regulations,” he said.
Previously, President Prabowo invited several figures considered critical of the government, one of whom was Abraham Samad Riyanto as KPK Chairman for the 2011–2015 period. Many topics were discussed during the meeting. Abraham Samad himself proposed that President Prabowo reinstate the KPK Law to its version before the 2019 revision. He argued that the 2019 KPK Law revision had weakened the KPK’s role and authority in eradicating corruption.