Eradicating corruption takes time, says Adi<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Corruption eradication in Indonesia will take
\ntime due to rampant cases of the crime, newly installed chairman
\nof the independent anticorruption team Adi Andojo Sutjipto said
\non Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a media conference following the team's induction
\nby President Abdurrahman Wahid, Adi said he was not optimistic
\nthat corruption cleansing could be carried out in a short time.<\/p>\n
"Such practices have been deeply rooted in the society for
\ndecades. I need extra prayers and moral support from the people
\nto make our work a success," he said at the Attorney General's
\nOffice.<\/p>\n
Government regulation No. 40\/2000, issued on April 5, entrusts
\nthe team with both investigation and prosecution work in
\ncorruption cases which are difficult to prove for the Attorney
\nGeneral's Office.<\/p>\n
That includes cases involving more than one institution,
\ngovernment officials and those using sophisticated technology,
\nAdi said.<\/p>\n
"We only handle cases delegated by the attorney general," he
\nadded. The attorney general serves as the 25-member team's
\ncoordinator, according to the government regulation.<\/p>\n
The team will specifically deal with corruption in banking,
\ntaxation, capital markets, trade and industry, commodity markets
\nand monetary and financial affairs.<\/p>\n
The team is an embryo of the Commission to Eradicate
\nCorruption, mandated by the 1999 Antigraft Law, which must be
\nestablished before August next year.<\/p>\n
According to the government regulation, the team's power
\nincludes the authority to tap telephones, block bank accounts,
\npropose travel bans, seize materials sent through all
\ntelecommunication services and recommend the suspension of
\nsuspects from their posts.<\/p>\n
Adi said the team is made up of professionals who were tightly
\nselected. They include state prosecutors, police officers,
\nofficials of the central bank and other government institutions.
\nAlso joining the team are activists of non-governmental
\norganizations (NGOs) and experts, including Iskandar Sonhaji from
\nIndonesian Corruption Watch (ICW), Faisal Tadjuddin from the
\nMovement of Concerned Citizens on State Assets (Gempita), H.S.
\nDillon from the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM)
\nand banking expert Pradjoto, who will have to resign from the
\nNational Ombudsman Commission due to his upcoming service.<\/p>\n
The President said at the induction ceremony that the team was
\nunlikely to satisfy people's demand for corruption eradication in
\na short time.<\/p>\n
Citing the experience of former Philippines president Corazon
\nAquino in searching for her predecessor Ferdinand Marcos' wealth,
\nAbdurrahman said the government would adopt pragmatic approaches
\nin resolving the crime.<\/p>\n
"I need to remind you that we often adopt idealistic
\nattitudes. We want to see quick results and object to seeing the
\n(government's) clumsy action in investigating corruption cases,"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
The President also used the opportunity to reiterate his
\ninnocence in a Rp 35 billion (US$4 million) corruption case
\ninvolving the National Logistics Agency (Bulog) which allegedly
\ninvolved his inner-circle associates.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman said he had ordered National Police chief Lt. Gen.
\nRusdihardjo to arrest the culprits.<\/p>\n
"I know nothing about the matter," the President said.<\/p>\n
In a related development, the Jakarta Police named on Tuesday
\nBulog deputy chief Sapuan as suspect in the alleged graft
\nfollowing the questioning of former and active Bulog officials
\nRahardi Ramelan, Effendi Wahab and Kamaruddin Djamal as
\nwitnesses.<\/p>\n
Chief of detectives for economic crimes at the Jakarta Police
\nMaj. Tito Karnavian said in his report that Sapuan was alleged to
\nhave swindled Rp 35 billion belonging to the Bina Sejahtera Warga
\nBulog Foundation.<\/p>\n
The alleged swindle occurred in February this year at the
\nfoundation's office on Jl. Gatot Subroto in South Jakarta.
\n(01\/prb\/ylt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/eradicating-corruption-takes-time-says-adi-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}