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The Corruption Eradication Commission pledged not to sacrifice its independence as more and more members of the House of Representatives threatened to slash the body’s budget unless the investigation into Bank Century was expedited.

Muhammad Jasin, deputy chairman of the commission, also known as the KPK, told the Jakarta Globe on Sunday that it “would continue to work professionally and independently” during the probe.

“We understand that politicians are pressuring [us] to expedite the case but if the evidence is not strong enough then the case is legally weak.”

Jasin added that should the House move ahead with its threats, the performance of the KPK would be jeopardized.

“If the threat is true then the KPK would adjust our targets to the budget allocated. Of course if our budget is slashed there is little that we can do,” he said.

Earlier, Eva Kusuma Sundari, a lawmaker from the opposition Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), said the House could use its power to withhold approval of the KPK budget if it failed to produce satisfactory results in the case.

The KPK is asking for a budget increase this year after a 2009 law paved the way for the formation of anticorruption courts outside of the capital.

Eva’s statement, although not endorsed by her own party, found favor elsewhere in the House.

Bambang Soesatyo of the Golkar Party said on Sunday that House Commission III for legal and political affairs believed the KPK was under-performing.

“We have always supported our colleagues, including the National Police and Attorney General’s Office. we have always tried to get them bigger budget allotments,” he said. “So if we increase their budget but their performance slows, of course we are disappointed.”

Golkar and the PDI-P had criticized the Rp 6.7 trillion ($730 million) state rescue of Bank Century, since renamed Bank Mutiara. The two parties, along with four other factions of the House, have found that the bailout was illegal and recommended law-enforcement agencies including the KPK investigate possible criminality in the matter.

Danang Widoyoko, chairman of Indonesia Corruption Watch, said the threats showed that the House was unprofessional in establishing budgets for government and independent institutions. “The budget allocation is based on political drive instead of objective reasoning,” Danang told the Globe.

“If the House wants to be fair, it should look at what the KPK has achieved rather than pressuring it over certain cases.”

Danang said the KPK had saved the nation more than Rp 5 trillion through successful graft prosecution and prevention .