Parties doubt Ghalib's case will be resolved

JAKARTA (JP): Major opposition parties aired doubts on Monday that the government would take firm action against Andi M. Ghalib, who stood down as attorney general after bribery allegations were leveled against him.

National Mandate Party secretary-general Faisal Basri and Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle deputy chairman Dimyati Hartono said Ghalib would evade any legal consequences as long as President B.J. Habibie's administration was still in place.

"I am pessimistic because (to thoroughly investigate the case) would be like breaking a dam; piles of cases involving other government officials would also be uncovered," Faisal told a discussion on corruption organized by the independent Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW).

On June 14, Habibie suspended Ghalib, an active lieutenant general in the Army, after ICW executives alleged Ghalib had some Rp 13 billion (US$1.6 million) in his bank accounts and that some of the money was suspected to have been bribes from businessmen under investigation by the Attorney General's Office for banking law violations.

The government also said Ghalib's bank accounts would be audited by an independent accounting firm. However, legal experts said that until Ghalib was officially named a suspect, auditors would not be able to gain access to the accounts.

"The government will not commit suicide so they will turn this into an isolated case or at least buy time," Faisal said.

"This is also to save face for the military because a lot of military officials have done the same thing as Ghalib or even worse," he said.

Dimyati said Habibie's administration "was born and brought up" in the New Order regime under former president Soeharto, so it was unlikely they would wage a serious war against corruption.

"Whatever happens, I think it is clear that Ghalib cannot resume his post as attorney general even if the audit clears him," Golkar deputy chairman Marzuki Darusman told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

"There is already a loss of confidence in his integrity, therefore it is almost impossible to imagine that he would be able to resume his post," Marzuki said.

The government on Friday appointed Deputy Attorney General Ismudjoko acting attorney general. The decision was taken following sharp criticism over the government's earlier announcement that it would appoint Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Feisal Tanjung interim attorney general.

Lawyers and former attorneys said Feisal's appointment would run contrary to the spirit of the law and the professionalism of the judiciary, as well as violating a 1991 law which states that if the attorney general cannot carry out his duties, the post should be taken over by his deputy.

Marzuki, however, said Ismudjoko was not "the best choice" because he was also "closely associated with the New Order".

"So, it is an unresolved matter at the moment. The test, of course, is to what extent (Ismudjoko) can pursue the Soeharto case," Marzuki said.

Ghalib had headed the investigation into the alleged wealth Soeharto accumulated during his rule, but he was accused of failing to vigorously pursue the case.

"The only way to finally resolve this matter is to continue putting political pressure on the Attorney General's Office. Now is also the time to consider forming an independent commission to look into Soeharto's case," Marzuki said.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) said it suspected a number of officials at the Attorney General's Office were involved in the alleged bribes given to Ghalib.

"We strongly believe that Ghalib's colleagues or his subordinates were involved or at least knew about the suspected bribes, so the acting attorney general must take concrete steps to clean up the office," YLBHI chairman Bambang Widjojanto announced.

Separately, Minister of Justice Muladi said military police would not need presidential approval to question Ghalib because the latter was no longer a Cabinet member.(byg/prb)