Talking Indonesia, 26 August 2021
Corruption is indeed the enemy of progress and development. It is unfortunately still relatively quite prevalent among developing countries including Indonesia. The country, though, has had a dynamic history of endeavor to fight it.
In the country, the fight against corruption is championed by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). It is said that the agency established itself as one of the most trusted institutions in Indonesia. It has successfully prosecuted corrupt ministers, heads of state agencies, political party figures, and legislators from across the political spectrum, as well as judicial and law enforcement officers.
But the KPK’s trajectory has recently been hurdled amendments to the agency’s founding statute. The revision of the KPK Law is said to severely undercut the Commission’s autonomy.
In this discussion entitled Talking Indonesia, Dr Dave McRae discusses issues with Ahmad Khoirul Umam PhD – Managing Director of the Paramadina Public Policy Institute in Jakarta. In the podcast, talked and responded to inquiries such as how have the new amendments affected the KPK’s ability to investigate corruption cases? How has the new set of commissioners performed, having been appointed soon after these amendments were passed? What lies ahead for anti-corruption efforts in Indonesia?