PDI Perjuangan insists Rachman be replaced

PDI Perjuangan insists Rachman be replaced

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Just a day after President Megawati Soekarnoputri said no to
calls to replace Attorney General M.A. Rachman, her Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) insisted on Tuesday
that the country's chief prosecutor be dismissed.

Party leaders said that the decision to keep Rachman, who has
been accused of concealing his wealth, should be considered a
temporary one, pending investigations carried out by the Public
Servants' Wealth Audit Commission (KPKPN).

"As far as we concerned the investigation into the Attorney
General is not over yet. The decision should be changed once it
is all completed," PDI Perjuangan deputy chairman Arifin Panigoro
told a media conference called after the party's weekly meeting.

"The President is still awaiting the report from KPKPN on
Rachman," Panigoro said.

Rachman has been accused of concealing his wealth, including a
house worth Rp 1.8 billion (US$200,000) at Graha Cinere, Depok,
two cars and a Rp 800 million time-deposit account.

Rachman had produced conflicting replies regarding his assets,
prompting anticorruption campaigners and activists to call for
his immediate removal.

Megawati said on Monday that she had no plan to replace
Rachman, accusing those making corruption allegations against him
as being politically motivated. She also stressed that replacing
Rachman would not ensure better law enforcement in the country.

Megawati's statement came amid controversy over her possible
ownership of a luxury villa in Sentul, West Java, and the
reportedly proposed expansion of her official residence on Jl.
Teuku Umar, Central Jakarta.

Arifin insisted that the decision to keep Rachman in his post
should change once KPKPN investigations had been completed.

"It is just a matter of timing," Arifin said.

Deputy secretary-general Pramono Anung Wibowo, however,
emphasized that the party would not interfere with the
President's decision.

"It is the prerogative of the President to replace the
attorney general and before there is a concrete result from the
investigation we should not regard Rachman as guilty," Pramono
said at the same media conference.