Phone tapping report leads to uproar<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): An uproar has ensued following reports of the
\ntapping of a purported telephone conversation between President
\nB.J. Habibie and Attorney General Andi M. Ghalib as observers
\nexpressed concern over what they said was a crude political ploy.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile others urged the public and the government to focus
\non the investigation of former president Soeharto.<\/p>\n
Substance aside, politician Sarwono Kusumaatmadja lashed out
\non Friday at \"an unethical political ploy.\"<\/p>\n
It would be detrimental to the institution of government, both
\nnow and in the future, as it would be the government that the
\npublic would perceive as the institution most capable of doing
\nsuch a thing, he argued.<\/p>\n
H.S. Dillon, a member of the National Commission on Human
\nRights, said that if the transcript was real it was really a
\nblatant abuse of the presidential power to eliminate political
\nopponents before the upcoming election.<\/p>\n
\"It is an egregious abuse of the state power against citizens
\nwho are promoting democracy,\" Dillon added in referring to the
\nportion of the transcript purportedly relating to the
\ninvestigation of Arifin Panigoro and Sofyan Wanandi.<\/p>\n
Violence<\/p>\n
\"The revelation of the transcript, if true, makes us greatly
\napprehensive that there is to be more violence in the run-up to
\nthe June 7 election, and that the polls might be degraded largely
\nby money politics,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Sarwono told the media that such a political ploy was \"playing
\nwith fire\" because it would be never ending.<\/p>\n
\"It, the phone tapping, is no news really... it used to be
\nused against pro-democracy activists of non-governmental
\norganizations... now it's being used against the President.<\/p>\n
\"As a technology wizard, Habibie should have known better how
\ncommunications technology might be used in politics,\" Sarwono
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
According to the former environment minister, the country
\nneeded a special law with effective implementation to regulate
\nphonetapping.<\/p>\n
\"For instance, it should be legalized by the courts and should
\nbe carried out by authoritative state bodies whose affairs should
\nbe held accountable,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Otherwise, it would not only have impact on the government's
\ncredibility but also would ruin the country's entire economy as
\nbusiness players, for fear of being found out, would lose trust.<\/p>\n
Ethical issue<\/p>\n
Sarwono declined to comment on the substance of the tapped
\nconversation, saying: \"This is an ethical issue... no unethical
\npolitical play should mar a legal political power play\".<\/p>\n
The controversial taped conversation was published in the
\nlatest edition of Panji Masyarakat weekly, but actually also saw
\npublication in January in a lesser known paper, the BK tabloid.<\/p>\n
Voices sounding like Habibie's and Ghalib's indicated that
\nthey were discussing the progress of investigations into \"Jusuf
\nWanandi\" and oil tycoon Arifin Panigoro, two staunch critics of
\nthe President. Businessman Sofyan Wanandi, not Jusuf, has been
\nimplicated in a bank-related case.<\/p>\n
They discussed arrangements which Ghalib had made for the Dec.
\n9 investigation of former president Soeharto -- whom both men
\nreverently referred to as Bapak (father).<\/p>\n
The published transcript suggested that they concurred that
\nthe investigation should continue rather than allowing him to be
\ntried by a \"people's court\".<\/p>\n
Amien Rais, chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN), said
\nthe alleged conversation showed that there was currently a
\ncoherent political strategy to protect Soeharto.<\/p>\n
\"The substance we can determine from the conversation is that
\nthe inquiries into Soeharto are aimed only at pacifying the angry
\npeople who are demanding Soeharto's trial,\" he said in
\nYogyakarta.<\/p>\n
Rivals<\/p>\n
He said the case was similar to the tapping by former U.S.
\npresident Richard Nixon in 1970s of his political rivals. \"The
\ndifference in Habibie's case is that the tapping was carried out
\nby his political rivals,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Ichlasul Amal, rector of the University of Gadjah Mada
\nsuggested the target in the disclosure of the tapping was
\nHabibie's group because of the impression that his government was
\nnot serious in its investigation of Soeharto.<\/p>\n
\"The tapping was disclosed to weaken Habibie's position and to
\ndamage his public image,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Criminologist Mulyana W. Kusumah said that if seen from the
\nlegal point of view the tapping was against the 1964
\ntelecommunications law and the culprit could be punished
\naccording to the law.<\/p>\n
\"If the tapping is seen to have leaked state secrets, the
\nagent is liable to the death sentence. But if it is seen only as
\nan ordinary crime, the agent will be punished lightly,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He insisted that it was very difficult to arrest the tapping
\nagent because a telephone conversation could be tapped both
\noutside the presidential office and the Attorney General's
\nOffice. (aan\/rms\/vin\/23)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/phone-tapping-report-leads-to-uproar-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}