Abdurrahman denies rumors of Marzuki's removal<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Attorney General Marzuki Darusman emerged from
\nthe end of President Abdurrahman Wahid's March deadline on
\nSaturday with his job, for now, largely intact.<\/p>\n
Speaking to reporters at Merdeka Palace, President Abdurrahman
\ndenied speculation that Marzuki, who has been under fire for
\nfailing to resolve major corruption cases, would soon be
\nreplaced.<\/p>\n
\"No, there will not be any replacement,\" Abdurrahman said when
\nasked about Marzuki's status.<\/p>\n
The President, who is also under intense pressure to resign
\nover his erratic leadership, said on March 19 that he had given
\nMarzuki until the end of March to act on major corruption cases.<\/p>\n
He said that Marzuki's work had become almost indefensible and
\nthat the President was under pressure to replace the former
\nrights campaigner for failing to bring top political figures
\naccused of corruption and human rights abuses to trial.<\/p>\n
It was far from clear whether the President's statement on
\nSaturday was prompted by steps taken by the Attorney General's
\nOffice over the last 10 days or merely represents a delay before
\nMarzuki finally gets the axe.<\/p>\n
Several former high-ranking officials including two former
\ncabinet ministers under then president Soeharto, Ginandjar
\nKartasasmita and Ali Wardana, were named suspects by prosecutors
\nearlier this week for alleged involvement in corruption.<\/p>\n
Marzuki denied on Friday that the move was part of a maneuver
\nby him to stay in office saying that \"what has been happening is
\nthe result of a long process of investigation\".<\/p>\n
Minister of Defense Mahfud M.D., however, said that
\nMarzuki would likely be dismissed in the near future.<\/p>\n
\"The government needs an Attorney General who doesn't have
\npsychological and political difficulties in making firm decisions
\nconcerning the performance of his duties,\" Mahfud told reporters
\non the sidelines of a coordinating meeting for the dissemination
\nof information on regional autonomy held in Yogyakarta's Hyatt
\nRegency Hotel.<\/p>\n
He suggested that the newly-appointed Minister of Justice and
\nHuman Rights Baharuddin Lopa swap positions with Marzuki.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the secretary-general of Abdurrahman's National
\nAwakening Party (PKB), Muhaimin Iskandar, said later in the day
\nthat his party was among those calling on the President to
\nimmediately dismiss Marzuki.<\/p>\n
\"We have told the President that removing Marzuki from the
\nAttorney General's Office is the devout wish of the students,
\nNGOs and the general public,\" Muhaimin told reporters after a
\nmeeting at the PKB's offices here, which was also attended by
\nAbdurrahman.<\/p>\n
Asked about the President's reaction to the demand, Muhaimin
\nsaid: \"The President only said that (Marzuki) is being
\nevaluated.\"<\/p>\n
Marzuki, who is also the deputy chairman of Golkar, has been
\naccused by the President's supporters of being too slow and
\nreluctant to take stern measures against those allegedly involved
\nin corruption.<\/p>\n
The prosecution of high profile corruption cases, particularly
\nthose that took place during the New Order era, is one of the
\ntasks assigned to Abdurrahman when he took office in October 1999
\nand which could become a high profile political commodity in his
\nbid to fight off attacks on his presidency.<\/p>\n
The Attorney General's Office has been under fire for failing
\nto bring former president Soeharto to trial for corruption.<\/p>\n
There is also pressure to bring top military and police
\nofficers to court for alleged human rights abuses in the former
\nIndonesian province of East Timor.<\/p>\n
To make matters worse, attempts to detain Soeharto's youngest
\nson, Hutomo \"Tommy\" Mandala Putra, who was convicted on
\ncorruption charges, were completely bungled with Tommy still
\nremaining at large. (byg\/44)<\/p>",
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