Jakarta (VNA) - AnIndonesian anti-corruption investigator said that a new law governing thecountry’s anti-graft agency could unleash a spike in corruption in SoutheastAsia’s biggest economy.
In September,Indonesia’s parliament approved changes to a law overseeing the CorruptionEradication Commission, one of the country’s mostrespected agencies.
Under the new law,the agency, known by its Indonesian initials KPK, will be overseen by anOversight Council, handpicked by President Joko Widodo, and investigators willlose their right to wiretap suspects without a warrant.
“The trend ofcorruption will increase,” Novel Baswedan said in an interview with Reuters,arguing the new law increased the potential for leaks over investigations.
Nonetheless, Baswedansaid he still hoped Widodo would issue a regulation to restore the KPK’spowers, something which Widodo appeared to rule out last month.
Since itsestablishment in 2002, the KPK has operated independently with legislative andlaw enforcement and judicial sectors of Indonesia./.
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