Big-wig visits mark top detainee's first day

Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

On his first day as a detainee, House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung was the number one attraction at the Attorney General's Office compound on Friday.

The guest list included, Minister of Social Affairs Bachtiar Chamsyah, State Minister of Communication and Information and Golkar colleague Syamsul Mu'arif, former ministers in past regimes from Golkar Abdul Gafur and Bomer Pasaribu and the four deputy House speakers conveyed respects and sympathy to the top politician who they said "had earnestly yielded himself to the law and doesn't deserve detention".

Akbar became the highest state official detained in the government's faltering campaign to stamp out graft.

He is serving a 20-day detention to help expedite his investigation over his alleged role in the misuse of Rp 40 billion of non-budgetary state funds belonging to the State's Logistics Agency (Bulog).

He has denied any wrongdoing despite the damaging evidence and accounts provided by investigators and witnesses.

"I'm fine. Thank you for all your support," Akbar said as he addressed the people who also had attended the Muslim Friday prayers at the Baitul Adli mosque in the Attorney General's Office compound which is a short walk from the jail.

Akbar's four deputies also came to report the latest developments from the House, including the induction of a new member and the plan to attend the upcoming International Parliamentary Union in Morocco.

"We just had a light conversation. We came here to show our solidarity among the House speakers...when a friend suffers a misfortune it's time for us to give support," House deputy speaker Muhaimin Iskandar of the National Awakening Party faction said.

Deputy speaker Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction said that Akbar's blood pressure had risen slightly but he quickly added that it was because Akbar was still tired from his Muslim haj pilgrimage trip.

Akbar's lawyers also submitted a request for the investigators to suspend detention or, at least, shift it to city or house arrest. In addition, they threatened to file a protest with the court on the detention should their request be ignored.

Attorney General's Office spokesman Barman Zahir said that Akbar's case was expected to be completed this month.