Attorney General Lopa's moves create hope, skepticism<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The courageous moves of newly installed Attorney
\nGeneral Baharuddin Lopa in investigating powerful people
\nsuspected of graft has raised hope as well as skepticism about
\nthe government's efforts to uphold the law.<\/p>\n
Albert Hasibuan, chairman of the Movement of Concerned
\nCitizens on State Assets (Gempita), and lawyer Frans Hendra
\nWinata voiced optimism that Lopa was the right person for the
\ntask to apprehend corruptors and called on the nation to give
\nfull support to him.<\/p>\n
Legal expert Harkristuti Harkrisnowo from the University of
\nIndonesia, however, said that it was difficult not to suspect a
\npolitical motive behind Lopa's actions.<\/p>\n
Both Frans and Harkristuti are also on the National Law
\nCommission.<\/p>\n
The Attorney General's Office is handling corruption cases
\nallegedly involving legislators Akbar Tandjung, Arifin Panigoro
\nand Nurdin Halid, and tycoons Sjamsul Nursalim, Prajogo Pangestu
\nand Sinivasan Marimutu.<\/p>\n
Albert praised Lopa for being productive in his handling of
\ngraft cases.<\/p>\n
\"Although he was just installed, within less than a month the
\noffice has been productive in taking measures against corruption,
\nunlike the slow pace taken under his predecessor, Marzuki
\nDarusman,\" Albert told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Both Albert and Frans believe there is no political motive in
\nthe investigation into the three legislators -- two of whom are
\nvocal opponents of President Abdurrahman \"Gus Dur\" Wahid -- and
\nthe three tycoons, all of whom the President once protected from
\nlegal proceedings.<\/p>\n
\"Even if the instruction to open such cases came from Gus Dur,
\nit's Lopa's authority to investigate the politicians when there
\nis adequate evidence of their involvement in corruption,\" Albert
\nadded.<\/p>\n
Separately, Frans said he had been acquainted with Lopa for a
\nlong time and knew him to be an honest bureaucrat, one who
\nintended to uphold the law regardless of who was involved.
\nHowever, he added, the timing of his appointment was off.<\/p>\n
\"Too bad he was put in the post prior to the special session
\nto hear the President's accountability speech, which raises
\npeople's suspicion of the government's political moves to better
\nits performance,\" he told the Post.<\/p>\n
Harkristuti deemed that it was difficult to determine whether
\nthe Attorney General's Office's measures came purely from a legal
\nstandpoint or were based on certain political interests.<\/p>\n
\"It's too much of coincidence that Akbar is Golkar chairman
\nwhile Arifin is PDI Perjuangan's top legislator. Did the reports
\non alleged corruption involve only these two? Weren't there any
\nreports of corruption involving members of the governing party?
\nWhat about graft involving people in the judiciary and the
\nexecutive branch?\" queried Harkristuti, who is also a member of
\nthe National Law Commission.<\/p>\n
\"So it's hard not to suspect that the measures were taken in a
\nbid to save Gus Dur's position or to escape the special session,\"
\nshe told journalists on Friday.<\/p>\n
The three observers, however, suggested Lopa, who is a former
\ndirector general of correctional institutions under the Ministry
\nof Justice and former ambassador to Saudi Arabia, should first
\ncleanse his new office of corrupt prosecutors as they may become
\nhis biggest obstacle.<\/p>\n
\"I've heard that many prosecutors are afraid of Lopa's
\npresence because they can no longer play around. Lopa should do
\nsome house cleaning, because he cannot work by himself,\" Frans
\nremarked.<\/p>\n
House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung is accused of
\nmisusing State Logistics Agency (Bulog) funds and Bank Bali loans
\nto finance the campaign of the Golkar Party, which he chairs, for
\nthe 1999 general election.<\/p>\n
Legislator Arifin Panigoro, executive of the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), has been accused
\nof misusing loans from state-owned investment company PT Bahana
\nPembinaan Usaha Indonesia (BPUI) that were extended to his
\ncompany.<\/p>\n
Businessman Nurdin Halid, a People's Consultative Assembly
\nmember from the Golkar faction, was recently named a suspect in a
\nRp 168 billion scam at Bulog.<\/p>\n
Nurdin was questioned at the Attorney General's Office on
\nMonday for the third time, but Akbar and Arifin have yet to be
\nsummoned for questioning.<\/p>\n
The Attorney General's Office has also started to process
\ncases involving timber tycoon Prajogo Pangestu, who is suspected
\nof falsifying his company's holdings to obtain state loans, and
\nGajah Tunggal Group owner Sjamsul Nursalim.<\/p>\n
State prosecutors have also banned textile magnate Sinivasan
\nMarimutu from going abroad pending the reopening of a case in
\nwhich he has been implicated. (bby)<\/p>",
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