Military personnel committing 'KKN' to be tried in public court
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Barring the unexpected, the Public Servants' Wealth Audit Commission (KPKPN) will soon sign a memorandum of understanding with the Indonesian Military (TNI), the National Police and the Attorney General's Office to allow active and former military personnel accused of committing corruption, collusion and nepotism (KKN) to be investigated by the police and tried in a public court.
KPKPN deputy chairman Abdullah Hehamahua told The Jakarta Post on Monday that it was still preparing the draft of the memorandum of understanding expected to be signed sometime this week by KPKPN chief Yusuf Syakir, Attorney General MA Rachman, TNI chief Adm. Widodo AS, and National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar.
It was not clear if the decision gave an indication that any former and active military personnel were involved in KKN. According to Hehamahua, the decision was made on the understanding that KKN were general crimes and not violations of the military code of ethics.
KPKPN is currently investigating the wealth of government officials and members of the House of Representatives (DPR) to determined whether or not it was accrued through KKN.
There are currently four former military personnel in President Megawati Soekarnoputri's Gotong Royong Cabinet and dozens of active and former military personnel in both the DPR and the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).
"The military tribunal has been established to try any violation of the military code of ethics, such as desertion or insubordination. KKN are general crimes so the perpetrators must be tried in a general court," Hehamahua said.
A high-profile corruption case involving former mines and energy minister Ginandjar Kartasasmita, a retired three-star Air Force marshal, is one example that showed that military personnel were often above the law.
The Attorney General's Office had to release Ginandjar last year after the South Jakarta District Court ruled that his detention was illegal and ordered that his case be taken to a joint civilian-military tribunal.