Susilo defends AG against House

Susilo defends AG against House

JAKARTA: President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono rejected on
Wednesday the House of Representatives' demand for him to
"strongly reprimand" Attorney General Abdul Rahman Saleh who has
helped jail a number of local councillors for graft.

As the strong reprimand was interpreted by some legislators as
"dismissal", State Secretary Yusril Ihza Mahendra said the House
could not force the President to dismiss the chief prosecutor.

"The House cannot force the President to do what it wants or
vice versa. Each has its own power, one cannot intervene in the
affairs of the other," Yusril said at the State Palace.

He said the government would examine and respond to a letter
from the House requesting the President to rebuke Rahman
following a brief commotion in the House last week.

The rift started after a House member called Rahman a "Muslim
teacher in the village of thieves", while others accused his
office of being unfair in prosecuting graft cases that mainly
targeted councillors from major parties. --JP