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)