Lopa urged to go ahead with antigraft drive

JAKARTA (JP): Attorney General Baharuddin Lopa received a boost to his morale on Friday when the National Awakening Party (PKB) faction at the House of Representatives agreed to support his bid to probe alleged graft cases that involve top legislators.

The faction's chairman, Taufiqurrahman Saleh, told Antara that his faction was prepared to provide data and information needed to support the drive against corruption, collusion and nepotism.

"We ask Lopa to go ahead fearlessly in defending the truth," Taufiqurrahman said, quoting his party's motto frequently heard in the 1999 electoral campaign.

President Abdurrahman Wahid has given his approval to the investigation of House Speaker Akbar Tandjung, Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction chairman Arifin Panigoro and Golkar Party member Nurdin Halid over graft charges.

Many have criticized the move, saying that there were political motives behind the decision given that both Akbar and Arifin spearheaded the House's bid to proceed with an impeachment process of Abdurrahman at the People's Consultative Assembly.

Taufiqurrahman said his faction also supports Lopa's move to uphold the supremacy of the law by investigating past economic crimes that have caused widespread suffering to people.

While calling for Lopa's committed action, the faction also condemned alleged intimidation and terror against the attorney general by other forces wishing to balk the anti-graft drive mandated by the People's Consultative Assembly.

Meanwhile, some 300 people claiming to be members of PDI Perjuangan staged a rally in support of Lopa in front of the Attorney General's Office. They demanded Arifin Panigoro's arrest and trial.

Clad in red T-shirts and carrying PDI Perjuangan symbols, the protesters, led by Edi Suwino, urged Lopa to arrest Arifin, whom they accused of being a New Order figure who had infiltrated the party.

There are nine more alleged infiltrators, according to the protesters, including deputy chairman Theo Sjafei, deputy secretary-general Pramono Anung, PDI-P legislators Yulius Usman and Benny Pasaribu.