Solution to Haryanto's case 'strange': Expert

Solution to Haryanto's case 'strange': Expert

JAKARTA (JP): Legal expert Loebby Loqman said yesterday the
government's announcement which cleared Minister of
Transportation Haryanto Dhanutirto of alleged financial misdeeds
was "strange".

"Seen from a legal point of view, the solution to the
corruption charge is strange," the lecturer at the University of
Indonesia told The Jakarta Post by telephone.

"This is a political solution, not a legal one. However, I
don't believe the case would ever be finished if we were to
pursue it only from a legal perspective," he said.

"President Soeharto probably felt that a political solution is
more appropriate in this case," he said. "He must have believed
that to continue pursuing a legal solution to the case would be
harmful politically."

Loebby acknowledged that there were circumstances under which
a legal case could not be solved through legal mechanisms, but
necessitated a political approach instead.

"As this is a political solution, his accountability should
then be pursued through political mechanism, in this case through
the People's Consultative Assembly which gives the President the
mandate to run the country," he said.

Loebby also acknowledged that there is bound to be
dissatisfaction over the way the government has resolved the
matter. However, "if the public is still dissatisfied, they
could air it through the Assembly".

The Assembly (MPR) convenes once every five year, during which
the President gives his account of duty.

Political observer Maswadi Rauf, however, said the
announcement clearing Haryanto was far from solving the case. The
lecturer at the University of Indonesia said that from either a
political or legal perspective, "it is not yet finished".

"This case is not closed yet. It's only considered closed," he
insisted.

He pointed out that the legal solution to the case should
still be pursued, if only to show the public that laws are being
enforced here.

He also suggested that what the public needed to know now is
to what degree the Inspector General of Development Kentot
Harseno's reports of irregularities at the Ministry of
Transportation was accurate.

He pointed out that had a more comprehensive, legal solution
be taken up, the case would not have developed into such a great
political issue inviting various interpretations from the public.

Among the various interpretations was one which considered the
whole affair a political plot to destroy a number of people who
are close to State Minister for Research and Technology B.J.
Habibie. Both Haryanto and Habibie are leaders of the influential
Association of Indonesian Moslem Intellectuals (ICMI).

"It's the government's responsibility to counter such charges
by proving the innocence of its people," he said.

Haryanto himself was not available for comments yesterday.
Hordes of reporters waited for him for hours, in vain, both at
his office and at home.

His staff, including ministry's spokesman Bambang S. Ervan,
could not tell where Haryanto was yesterday.

When news of irregularities at the transportation ministry
broke, various groups reacted differently.

There were people, including former student activists grouped
at the Fosko 66, who demanded that Haryanto resign.

There were also people, including his neighbors in Lembang,
West Java, who not only believed Haryanto's innocence, but even
considered him "a victim of cruelty" and said special prayers for
his safety.

There were still others who acted neutrally and suggested that
Attorney General Singgih assign a special team to investigate the
allegations.

The office of the Attorney General has indeed set up such a
team, but it hasn't yet done anything, according to Tiras weekly.

Loebby pointed out yesterday that there was no point in asking
the Attorney General Office to investigate the case further
because, structurally, the office is also a part of the executive
branch of power under President Soeharto. (swe/04)