KPK tells public not to expect too much
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta
Like Rome not being built in a day, it will take the nation a long time to see high-profile corruptors sent to jail despite the establishment of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).
Commission chairman Taufiequrrahman Ruki said on Tuesday it was too much to expect his six-month-old institution to satisfy public demands in the near future as it was still struggling to organize its own internal affairs.
"The duty of prosecution is only 25 percent of our work, according to the law. We have to carry out other duties, such as preventing corruption," he said after signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Office of the State Minister for Administrative Reform.
Ruki, who promised to take firm action against anyone, including state officials, involved in corruption soon after he was elected the commission chairman, said the KPK was in the process of building up its organization.
"We only have 25 investigators to handle the 217 reports of corruption that have come to us so far. We have analyzed some of them and forwarded them to either the prosecutors or police for further investigation.
But people keep pressing us to jail corruptors, regardless of the other things we are doing to eradicate corruption," he said.
Ruki complained that the government had not paid out to Rp 78 billion (US$8.7 million) it had allocated to finance the commission's work.
"Thanks for the allocation but the government has not yet issued presidential decrees and government regulations to disburse the funds," he said.
The KPK, he added, had only received Rp 18.5 million five months after he assumed office.
State Minister for Administrative Reform Feisal Tamin said the government was considering a monthly salary for the commission's leaders that would be higher than the President's, given their crucial work.
The President earns around Rp 45 million per month.
Feisal also said that officials and employees of the commission would be paid more than ordinary state officials of the same grade in a bid to prevent them being tempted to resort to corruption.
He expected the commission would have to work hard as the country was widely known as one of the most corrupt in the world.
The commission leaders comprise Ruki, who is a former police officer, former prosecutor Tumpak Hatorangan Panggabean, former state auditor Sjahruddin Rasul, former private auditor Amien Sunaryadi and former businessman Erry Riyana Hardjapamekas.
Law No. 30/2003 on the commission gives it wide-ranging powers, including the power to prosecute suspected corruptors. This power was previously vested solely in the prosecution service and the police.
The commission is often referred to as a super body as it has the power to summon state officials and legislators without seeking the approval of the President, and take over corruption cases from either the prosecution service or the police.