Megawati regrets corruption acquittals

JAKARTA: President Megawati Soekarnoputri expressed her concern on Wednesday over the country's legal system, which has repeatedly exonerated alleged corruptors.

Speaking to members of the Indonesian Indigenous Entrepreneurs' Association (HIPPI) on Wednesday, Megawati said that such verdicts had insulted the public's sense of justice.

"Even if the evidence is damning and a lower court convicted the defendant, the Supreme Court later acquits him," HIPPI secretary-general Rainal Rais said quoting the President.

He further said that the President had called on the judiciary to support the government in fighting corruption, especially as regards verdicts.

Despite her statement, Megawati has decided not to dismiss Attorney General M.A. Rachman, who was alleged to have concealed his true wealth, and has been slow in responding to the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency's controversial proposal to drop all possible criminal charges against recalcitrant debtors who misused state bail-out funds at the beginning of the financial crisis five years ago. --JP