With support in civil society, Corruption Eradication Committee investigates lawmakers

The parliament is trying to hinder investigations by resorting to its Right to query. People's Representative Council Speaker Setya Novanto is among the suspects. Some legislators are thought to have received money over the electronic ID cards plan.

Jakarta (AsiaNews) – Tensions between the state and civil society are growing over the activity of Indonesian Corruption Eradication Committee (KPK).

After the latter included the names of suspected lawmakers on its list, it has been opposed by parliament. The main bone of contention is the plan to introduce electronic identity cards (e-Ktp).

One of the suspects is Setya Novanto, speaker of the lower house, the People's Representative Council (MPR), and head of the country’s largest party, Golkar. Over the past few weeks, the MPR has tried to use the Right to query (Hak Angket in Indonesian) to counter the KPK’s own independent investigations.

The Right to query allows lawmakers to review and analyse the actions and decisions by the government administration. This has sparked outrage in civil society, leading some to organise ‘Poetry for Integrity’ on 14 July. Many Catholics, including the Bhumiksara Foundation, joined in.

The KPK is investigating allegations that some parliamentarians accepted money in connection with the e-Ktp project.

At present, the Interior Ministry’s electronic ID card plan has had some glitches. Some people who were supposed to received their new electronic ID card are still waiting even though their old cards have expired.   

ID cards, whether old or new, are crucial to obtaining certain services, like passports, licenses and banking.

The cost of the electronic ID card project has been set at about 2.1 trillion Indonesian rupiahs (almost US$ 160 million).

On Monday, the anti-corruption watchdog reached to the top of Indonesian politics. Setya Novanto was placed on its list of suspects. He is the fourth major suspect to be named after Irman, Sugiharto, and Andi Narogong, head of the e-Ktp project.

At a special press conference, KPK chief Agus Rahajardo said that "Novanto played an important role through Andy Narogong in the e-Ktp plan, in terms of costs and procurement of materials and services."

• indonesia
• corruption
• setya novanto
• parliament
• electronic identity card