KPK told to get tough on Puteh probe<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) was urged to exercise
\nits authority to ensure the thorough investigation of Nanggroe
\nAceh Darussalam Governor Abdullah Puteh, who failed on Tuesday to
\nrespond to a summons to appear for questioning.<\/p>\n
\"The KPK must use their power, granted by the law, to ask the
\nPresident to suspend the governor, or freeze his assets,\" said
\nRomli Atmasasmita, coordinator of the Monitoring Forum for
\nCorruption Eradication.<\/p>\n
At a press conference on Tuesday, Romli was accompanied by
\nother forum members, including legal experts involved in enacting
\nthe law on the KPK, such as former justice minister Muladi and
\nsenior lawyer Adnan Buyung Nasution.<\/p>\n
Earlier that day, Puteh sent a fax to the commission, that
\nsaid he could not show up for questioning at the KPK due to his
\nbusy schedule. Instead, he pledged to appear on July 9.<\/p>\n
However, his lawyers said their client would not answer the
\nKPK's summons as it was sent as a fax.<\/p>\n
Puteh was charged with involvement in an alleged markup of Rp
\n12.6 billion (US$1.4 million) in the 2002 purchase of a Russian
\nMi-2 helicopter by the Aceh administration. The alleged graft
\ncost the state some Rp 4 billion.<\/p>\n
He had been grilled by the commission twice before he was
\ndeclared a suspect.<\/p>\n
Romly asserted that if the KPK failed to use its power to
\ninvestigate corruptors who were senior state officials, it would
\ndisgrace the commission.<\/p>\n
Muladi said the forum backed the KPK's move and opposed any
\nintervention by top government officials in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"Do not let corruption eradication efforts be tainted by
\npolitical moves. Let it be settled by the law,\" he said.<\/p>\n
A reliable source at the KPK complained that the commission
\nwas denied access by the Office of the Coordinating Minister of
\nPolitical and Security Affairs to obtain data on corruption cases
\nin Aceh, which was collected by a ministry team.<\/p>\n
The team, led by former finance minister Mar'ie Muhammad, was
\nassigned to monitor and supervise the implementation of the one-
\nyear martial law in the restive province, including the
\nallocation of its budget.<\/p>\n
The KPK sent a letter on June 10, asking the Office to give it
\nthe data. But, in his reply to the request, acting security
\nminister Hari Sabarno told the commission to \"coordinate directly
\nwith the leadership of relevant agencies\" to obtain the evidence.<\/p>\n
According to a copy of Hari's letter to the commission, which
\nwas obtained by The Jakarta Post, Hari argued the team's findings
\nhad been submitted to the related agencies for follow-ups,
\nbecause the data was still preliminary evidence or information.<\/p>\n
Hari had earlier sent a letter to the KPK, saying the central
\ngovernment still \"provided room and time\" for Puteh to continue
\nserving as the Aceh governor and the administrator of the
\nprovince's state of civil emergency. The letter was issued as the
\ncommission summoned Puteh for the first time.<\/p>\n
The report from the Mar'ie-led team, which was leaked to the
\nmedia, shows at least 21 corruption cases worth billions of
\nrupiah took place during the first six months of the year of
\nmartial law in Aceh, while other scandals hit the province in the
\nsecond period of the military operation that started on May 19
\nlast year.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/kpk-told-to-get-tough-on-puteh-probe-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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