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Indonesian president backs anti-corruption agency

2009-09-23 14:31 BJT

JAKARTA, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has set up a team to select credible figures to temporarily post three vacant top positions at the Anti-Corruption Commission (Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi/KPK), in order to make the agency resumes work properly, senior minister said here Wednesday.

The KPK has been at the forefront in fighting seismic graft, which has hampered investment, in the southeast Asia largest economy.

A presidential decree on formation of the team to select professional leaders was issued on Wednesday, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Widodo Adi Sucipto said.

"The president has set up a team, which will recommend names to the president," Widodo told reporters at the Air Force Base Halim Perdana Kusuma here.

Three KPK top officials have been declared suspect by police which force them to temporarily leave their posts according to the country's law. With the remain of two co-chairmen, the commission could not conduct its work properly. The declaration of suspects by the police on the three KPK chiefs has triggered an accusation of weakening the commission's work of combating graft.

President Susilo has said that he thought it was necessary to soon pick up some figures to temporarily replace the three persons.

The minister said that the team would give their recommendation to the president on October first.

"The team is tasked to recommend a number of names, which later will be pick up to post the vacant positions," said Widodo.

The KPK has sent scores of officials from active central bank governor, former minister, lawmakers and governor to jail for corruption charges in Indonesia, the first ever in the history of the country.

However, the president has said that should one or more of the three suspects was not proven guilty, they could come back to conduct its duty in the KPK.

If one of them or more proven guilty, the common procedure of appointment through the approval of the parliament would be conducted, said Susilo.

The powerful KPK has been success investigating the rampant corruption case in the country which make it be respected by the public. But it also make the agency vulnerable from bribery.

To prevent the legal institutions in the country to be contaminated, President Susilo has asked them to control each others.

Editor: Du Xiaodan | Source: Xinhua