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