The man on the street welcomes Attorney General's Office move

The man on the street welcomes Attorney General's Office move

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The detention of House of Representatives Speaker Akbar
Tandjung by the Attorney General's Office over graft allegations
has been welcomed by people on the streets. And in their support
for the move, many hoped that the country's law enforcement
agencies would remain firm in their efforts to uphold the law.

Moelyono, 55, an unofficial parking attendant at the Kampung
Melayu bus terminal in East Jakarta:

It (the detention) is good. It would be great if the
government continued with its attempts to bring other corruptors
to court. The government is supposed to treat other corruptors as
it did Akbar.

They (the corruptors) have been using the people's money to
enrich themselves at the expense of the Indonesian people.

There is lots of clear evidence. There is no need for the
government to hesitate in detaining Akbar or other corruptors.
Trust me that Indonesia will make a leap in progress if the
government continues its commitment to fight corruption,
collusion and nepotism. That's the moral of the reform era.

Johny Sinaga, who runs an automobile service stall on Jl.
Penjernihan in West Jakarta:

I'm pleased but it's not enough for me. Akbar is the leader of
the Golkar Party. Do you think he misused the funds by himself? I
assume he used it along with other colleagues in the name of the
people's interests. That's why they talked so tough about
clearing Akbar of all accusations.

Members of the Golkar Party must also be dragged into court.
Remember, Golkar was very authoritarian when (former president)
Soeharto was in power. They misused their power to suppress the
people's aspirations.

I'm also dissatisfied with the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI Perjuangan). They failed to win the people's hearts
with their insensitive response to the public outcry.

Subaringan, a 60-year-old headstone carver in Casablanca
cemetery, South Jakarta:

I refuse to comment because political matters cannot be judged
in black and white. In politics, it is not a matter of right or
wrong.

I prefer to give law enforcers the chance to prove if Akbar is
guilty or innocent.

Noni Widyawati, an employee of a financial firm on Jl.
Sudirman in Central Jakarta:

I'm still waiting for the next step. If the law enforcers
remain consistent in their efforts to bring Akbar to court, that
would be a good precedent for law enforcement. It means they are
really committed to upholding the law.

Such a commitment would restore the battered confidence of
foreign investors. That would be beneficial to the country's bid
to recover from the protracted crisis.