No compromise in combating graft: Marzuki
No compromise in combating graft: Marzuki
JAKARTA (JP): Attorney General Marzuki Darusman said on
Monday that he supported President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid's
intention to fight corruption, collusion and nepotism without any
political compromise.
Marzuki said that the investigation of corruption cases would
be accelerated because of the great pressure from the public.
Commenting on Gus Dur's statement a few days ago about his
threat to arrest 10 big corruptors, Marzuki said the number
should not be viewed normatively.
"We don't have to stick to the number of 10, it could be 10 or
more, depending on the development of the investigation. They
will be announced when we name them as suspects," he was quoted
by Antara as saying.
Among the corruption cases handled by the Attorney General's
Office are those in the sectors of forestry, Pertamina, state
electricity company PLN and banking, especially the bank
liquidity support facility during the monetary crisis in the late
1990s.
"We have coordinated with the State Audit Board and have
acquired the names of Bank Indonesia officials allegedly involved
in the case," Marzuki said after installing new officials at his
office.
The office is investigating 20 out of 48 banks accused of
misusing the Rp 144.5 trillion (US$15 billion) bank liquidity
support facility.
On Friday Marzuki said that three of the central bank's senior
officials, Miranda Goeltom, Aulia Pohan and Iwan Prawiranata,
would be investigated for their alleged role in the abuse of the
liquidity support facility.
He also said on Monday that he would not need any directive
from the Supreme Court for the questioning of Gus Dur in the
Buloggate and Bruneigate scandals because he would be quizzed in
his capacity as an individual, not as a president.
He said that the legal proceedings would start without waiting
for the Supreme Court's directive to show the people that there
was no effort on the part of the Attorney General's Office to
avoid or delay the investigation of the case.
Gus Dur would be questioned for his alleged role in the two
financial scams, as suggested by the House of Representatives in
their memorandum sent to the Attorney General and the National
Police Chief last week.
The case was being handled by the deputy attorney general for
special crimes, he said after installing new officials at his
office. He added that intensive cooperation with the police would
be needed so that there would be no overlapping.
He reiterated that the investigators would take into
consideration the trials of Sapuan, former deputy head of the
State Logistic Agency, and Gus Dur's masseur, Agung Alip Suwondo.
Asked whether he believed that the House's special committee
for the investigation of the scandals was legal, Marzuki declined
to comment.
"What we understand is that we have received the materials and
we will take the necessary legal actions to follow it up." (sim)