Suspend Ghalib from his duties

Suspend Ghalib from his duties

I would like to make an appeal to President B.J. Habibie in
connection with the Indonesian Corruption Watch report submitted
to the military police, in which Attorney General A.M. Ghalib is
suspected of having accepted bribes. The latter is indicated by
the existence of accounts in the name of A. Muh. Ghalib and his
wife, Andi Murniati, at South Jakarta Lippo Bank amounting to
approximately Rp 3 billion, plus personal savings totaling Rp 1.8
billion.

a) Submission of the ICW report is true and proper according
to Article 1 point 24 of the Criminal Code, since A.M. Ghalib is
a lieutenant-general in the Army. The ICW acted on behalf of the
community; if it has any knowledge of a criminal act, such as
corruption, having been committed, it is duty bound to report
such to the government institution concerned.

b) In order to facilitate the investigation of Ghalib, it
would be judicious for the President to temporarily suspend
Ghalib from his post as attorney general.

c. The coordinating minister of state administrative reforms
and development supervision -- who is appointed by the President
with the task of supervising and directing all civil servants and
state officials as well as recommending to their superiors the
sanctions that are to be taken against erring government
officials -- is similarly duty bound to investigate Ghalib in his
capacity as attorney general.

d. Considering the vital nature of the attorney general's
duties in litigating all transgressors of the law, including
former president Soeharto and his cronies under People's
Consultative Assembly Decree No.Xi/1998, it would be improper to
maintain Ghalib in his position of attorney general. Apart from
the temporary suspension of Ghalib, another necessary measure to
be taken is the appointment of a caretaker attorney general, who
must be maintained in this position until the investigation of
Ghalib is completed and a legally binding verdict is issued by a
court of justice.

Unless those measures are taken by President Habibie, the good
name of the President will be jeopardized since he will be seen
as incapable of taking the warranted measures against a
subordinate. The minister of finance and the director general of
taxes should further investigate whether any violation of the tax
laws was committed by taxpayer Ghalib.

SUHARSONO HADIKUSUMO

Jakarta