'Nurdin, Puteh cases window dressing'
'Nurdin, Puteh cases window dressing'
Abdul Khalik, Jakarta
Although law enforcers have stepped up a gear in their corruption
investigations involving lawmaker Nurdin Halid and Aceh Governor
Abdullah Puteh, skepticism remains widespread that the cases are
merely political commodities ahead of the runoff presidential
election.
Legal expert Luhut M. Pangaribuan said that, as in the past,
the high-profile corruption cases would simply help incumbent
president, Megawati Soekarnoputri, to create an impression of her
administration's commitment to the eradication of corruption.
"We shall see whether the cases go to court quickly. I doubt
law enforcers can do that because nothing has changed with law
enforcement in the country. It will be mere rhetoric to win
public sympathy," Luhut told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.
Megawati is almost certain to challenge front-runner Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono in the second round of the presidential
election on Sept. 20.
Luhut predicted the cases of Nurdin and Puteh would circulate
around the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), the police
and the prosecutor's office, before finally disappearing from
public view.
The KPK has declared Puteh a suspect over a scandal concerning
the purchase of a helicopter.
The Supreme Court is selecting ad hoc judges to sit in the
special court to hear cases handled by the KPK.
Puteh is also being questioned as a witness by the police in
connection with the purchase of a power generator, which has
resulted in losses to the state of Rp 30 billion.
Chairman of the Association of Civil Society Professionals
Ismed Hasan Putro agreed with Luhut, saying the investigations
into the graft cases had political motives.
"There is rivalry between elite political groups," Ismed told
the Post.
He said the investigation into the cases would be dropped as
soon as political ends had been achieved.
Both Luhut and Ismed reminded that law enforcers had been
incapable of resolving any high-profile corruption cases they
were handling.
During the last year, no such cases, including the phenomenal
Rp 1.7 trillion BNI scandal, the Rp 20 trillion Account No. 502
case and the Rp 900 billion Bulog scandal, were resolved by the
police.
Ismed also argued it would be difficult to take Nurdin to
court because the charges against him remained unclear.
"The charges against Nurdin as chairman of Inkud remain weak
as he can easily prove he is not responsible for his
subordinates' unlawful action," said Ismed.
Police declared Nurdin, the chairman of the Confederation of
Primary Cooperatives Association (Inkud), a suspect on Friday in
the importation of 73,000 tons of illegal sugar, which, as Inkud
chairman, he should have known about.
The police detained Nurdin immediately after the announcement.
However, the police said on Saturday they could not put Nurdin in
custody as he had become ill and had been rushed to the hospital.
Nurdin's lawyers maintained that their client's status
remained that of a witness, saying they had not received a letter
ordering Nurdin's detention.
They also claimed that Nurdin was unaware of the sugar
smuggling or the document falsification to ship and distribute
the commodities.
"He is still in hospital now. We believe Nurdin is innocent
because there is no letter, verbal order, or other evidence
showing that Nurdin knew about the document falsification. You
cannot just declare him a suspect simply because he is the
chairman," Farhad Abas, one of Nurdin's lawyers, said on Sunday.