Pursuit of high-profile graft cases 'politically motivated'
JAKARTA (JP): Legal experts on Tuesday charged that exertions of the Attorney General's Office in pursuing high-profile corruption cases in recent weeks were motivated by political purposes rather than the pursuit of fair law enforcement.
In the past months, the Office has questioned many notable figures, including former ministers, allegedly involved in corruption cases. Some have immediately been named as suspects.
Among those named suspects were former minister of finance Ali Wardhana, former minister of mines and energy Ida Bagus Sudjana and Sudjana's predecessor Ginandjar Kartasasmita.
Former minister of trade and industry Mohamad "Bob" Hasan is currently serving a six-year jail term in the maximum security Nusa Kambangan prison island in Central Java.
According to Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) coordinator Teten Masduki such measures were part of a political agenda targeted at a certain political group.
"What a coincidence that it was mostly done after the first memorandum," Teten told The Jakarta Post over the telephone, referring to the House of Representatives memorandum of censure.
"People don't want to see how many cases are handled, but that the cases are completed properly. In other words, quality is better than quantity as people understand how limited the human resources are," Teten remarked.
Noted lawyer Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara said that the Attorney General's Office has no clear concept and strategy in handling corruption cases.
"As the result, it only produces sporadic results. Many people have been questioned but business tycoons who are obviously connected with corruption cases are not arrested," he told the Post.
Meanwhile, legal sociologist Satjipto Rahardjo said corruption cases are an extraordinary crime and therefore need extraordinary measures.
"In difficult situations like this, several procedures in handling corruption cases that can hamper the investigation should be relaxed," he said.
"After that, then we can go back to the 'traditional' way," he added without elaborating.
The Attorney General's Office recorded some 1,040 corruption cases investigated last year of which 256 have been completed.
As of Dec. 31, 290 cases had been brought to court of which a verdict has been handed out on 79.31 percent of them.
Attorney General Marzuki Darusman recently revealed that state losses due to corruption are estimated at around Rp 3.29 trillion (US$329 million) of which only Rp 1.9 billion is believed can be recouped.
Separately on Tuesday, Golkar Party chairman Akbar Tandjung questioned why the Attorney General's Office does not investigate several business tycoons believed to be involved in corruption cases.
He in particular named Marimutu Sinivasan, Prajogo Pangestu and Syamsul Nursalim.
"Many are dissatisfied about this and question why there is no action against those tycoons," he said, as quoted by Antara.
Akbar said he agreed with those who believed there is discrimination in the detention case of fellow Golkar Party colleague and former minister of mines and energy Ginandjar Kartasasmita, who is also People's Consultative Assembly Deputy Speaker.
Ginandjar is a suspect over a graft case involving state-owned company Pertamina and oil company PT Ustraindo Petro Gas, which allegedly resulted in $24.8 million in state losses.
The Attorney General's Office issued an arrest warrant on Saturday but since Ginandjar is hospitalized, his detention has been delayed.
As for the rumor about President Abdurrahman Wahid's plan to replace Attorney General Marzuki Darusman, Akbar said that he will not get involved in the matter as it is the President's prerogative. (hdn)