FPI Ready to Assist KPK in Solving Corruption Cases

Surabaya - The Islam Defenders Front (FPI) is ready to assist the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in collecting evidence, data or information on corruption cases happening in the country, its chairman said. "We will contribute to the KPK's efforts by helping it find evidence and data on corruption cases and in so doing encourage the KPK to be more courageous in taking concrete action," FPI Chairman Habib Riziq said here Friday. He said FPI felt obligated to help the KPK in finding the evidence and data needed to solve corruption cases given the fact that members of the political elite were often involved in the scandals. With reference to the KPK's performance so far, Habib said he would suggest that the anti-graft body not handle corruption cases in bottom-up but in top-down fashion. "To me, corruption is like a snake. So, if you want to catch a snake, you should strike its head first, not its tail. If you work from the bottom upwards, the case will end nowhere," he said. Citing an example, Habib referred to the Bank Century case which, he said, was fraught with politically-motivated coverups and machinations. On the same occasion, another FPI leader, Munwarman, said the front had already set up an Anti-Corruption Legion whose purpose was to exert pressure for the consistent handling and conclusive settlement of major corruption cases. "Pressure is necessary because we often see major corruption cases being handled half-heartedly, especially cases involving political interests," he said. According to Munwarman, despite the existence of a special body to fight corruption such as the KPK, graft in the country was not diminishing but even increasing. "To really make people afraid to commit corruption, we say, the law on corruption must be amended by a clause making the death penalty mandatory for proven corruptors," he said. (*)