Habibie's outstanding debt

Habibie's outstanding debt

The doubts which the public have harbored concerning the fate
of the case against the former attorney general, Andi M. Ghalib,
have proven justified. Military police authorities have decided
to halt their investigation of the case on the grounds there was
not sufficient proof that Ghalib engaged in corruption.

This decision reflects the authorities' lack of responsiveness
toward the public's demands. We are now justified in questioning
the sincerity of the promise which the Indonesian Armed Forces
(TNI) leadership made to bring about a repositioning and
reorientation of the TNI's bearings in response to the changes
that occurred. The uncommunicative manner in which the Ghalib
case is being handled and the tendency to simplify matters not
only dissatisfies the public, it also does not help us to realize
the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) decree regarding the
establishment of clean governance.

The decision also illustrates President B.J. Habibie's
weaknesses. If he was serious in his efforts, Habibie would have
ordered an investigation of all of Ghalib's bank accounts and
made the findings public. Until he publicly and personally
explains why the investigation of Ghalib's case is being halted,
Habibie will politically have a debt outstanding to the public.

Unless Habibie explains, unhealthy rumors will flourish. For
example, people might think that the remaining 15 of Ghalib's
bank accounts, which the military investigators have failed to
audit, are linked to Habibie's personal interests or to the
interests of other authorities in his government.

-- Bisnis Indonesia, Jakarta