Abdul Rachman to tackle big cases
Abdul Khalik and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Newly installed Attorney General Abdul Rachman Saleh pledged on Thursday to focus on corruption cases that had drawn public attention in his first 100 days in office to help the country's law enforcers regain public trust.
To reach his target, he said he would establish a special team that would review all cases and hunt down corruption suspects who had fled the country.
"In line with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's programs, I will focus on big corruption cases that have long concerned people. However, I will always adhere to the law," he said.
Abdul Rachman, 63, would not disclose which cases he would pursue, saying he would examine them first.
The public has been affronted by the suspension of investigation into many high-profile cases, including the misuse of multibillion Bank Indonesia liquidity support (BLBI) funds, a graft case implicating Regional Representatives Council chairman Ginanjar Kartasasmita in a project involving state oil company Pertamina and a sugar smuggling case involving Golkar politician Nurdin Halid.
Abdul Rachman gained prominence when he disagreed with the opinion of four fellow Supreme Court justices who acquitted Golkar leader Akbar Tandjung of graft early this year.
The Attorney General's Office has been probing some cases for years, without any signs of settlement.
Abdul Rachman said that the special antigraft team would be assisted by economics and legal experts from outside his office.
The Berlin-based Transparency International on Wednesday ranked Indonesia the fifth most corrupt country in the world, and urged Susilo to consider graft the biggest challenge facing his administration.
They said the attorney general's post was a key to Susilo's stated campaign to eradicate graft.
Abdul Rachman said he would revamp his office to make sure that he could meet his target.
"I will learn about my office first before I start reorganizing. I will listen to any input," he said.
The Attorney General's Office has also been listed as a major abuser of state funds in past years.
In its latest report, the State Audit Body (BPK) said that among the state agencies, the Attorney General's Office was the number one abuser of state funds two years in a row.
"I don't believe all personnel here can be linked to the abuses. However, I will eradicate internal corruption first," he said.
Later in the day, Abdul Rachman promised to support press freedom, saying he would review the use of prevailing laws that enabled prosecutors to prosecute media outfits.
"I will review the laws seriously and the development of legal studies," he said after informing Chief Justice Bagir Manan of his resignation from the Supreme Court.
Abdul Rachman, who is a former journalist, said he respected freedom of the press in the country.
He said his main goal was to boost the performance of the Attorney General's Office in a bid to restore public trust.
Asked whether he could resist intervention from the President, Abdul Rachman replied: "The President and I have agreed to comply with the law. Intervention is against the law. The President has promised to support me."