Public Expresses Support for Arrested Indonesian KPK Deputies, Disapproval of Police

Markus Junianto Sihaloho & Nurfika Osman

Public support for detained Corruption Eradication Commission deputy chairmen Bibit Samad Rianto and Chandra M Hamzah continued to build over the weekend as anger against the National Police grew.

A page on the Facebook Web site dedicated to Bibit and Chandra had attracted close to a quarter of a million supporters as of Sunday evening. It was created on Friday morning, a day after Bibit and Chandra were taken into custody by police on charges of abuse of power and extortion Meanwhile, politicians and religious groups jumped on the growing bandwagon.

Asri Anas, a member of the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) representing West Java, said 30 fellow DPD members had signed a petition in support of Bibit and Chandra.

The petition, which Asri hoped would be signed by 70 DPD members, addressed five points: to fully support the upholding of the law, to urge all parties not to politicize and criminalize the commission, to give moral support to the commissioners, to express regret for the actions of a “certain party” which wanted to bring the commission down, and to ask the authorities to suspend the arrests of the commissioners.

The “certain party” referred to the police. Many believe police arrested Bibit and Chandra to muzzle the commission, also known as the KPK, which was investigating the National Police’s chief detective, Comr. Gen. Susno Duadji, in relation to the Bank Century scandal. Susno was accused of abusing his power when he issued a letter that later allowed business tycoon Boedi Sampoerna to withdraw $18 million from the troubled bank.

According to state news agency Antara, the KPK has accused Susno of not following proper investigative procedures and fabricating charges against Bibit and Chandra.

The Facebook page contained a number of stinging criticisms of the police’s decision to take Bibit and Chandra into custody. It was labeled “arrogant” and “wrong,” among other things.

“Where are your supporters, dear police, if your conduct is correct?” Facebook user Julia Sagita wrote. “People today are not blind.”

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto said the government was committed to respecting democracy and freedom of speech and would not take action against any civilian organizations protesting against the police.

“If anyone wants to express an opinion on the case, go ahead. Conducting a demonstration is also permitted, whether you support or object [to the police’s action],” Suyanto said.

He reiterated, however, that the government would not intervene in the police’s decision to charge Bibit and Chandra.

On Saturday, former President Abdurrahman Wahid arrived at KPK headquarters to express his readiness to vouch for the innocence of the two suspended deputy chairmen.

“I came to add more support for their release from detention. I am prepared to put my name on the line in this case,” Abdurrahman said.

Masdar F Mas’udi, the deputy head of Indonesia’s largest Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama, said the president must act to resolve the dispute.

“This has become a political issue and it cannot be solved by the conflicting parties,” Masdar said. “Letting this conflict continue could increase the public’s uneasiness that the police are trying to bring down the KPK.”

He said those who would benefit the most were the corruptors who remained at large, while the people’s hopes for a corruption-free country would dissolve.

“We can’t let the public down as the commission is a very important institution in eradicating corruption in the country,” he said.

The Indonesian Bishops Conference (KWI) said the arrests clearly demonstrated that the government was not serious about fighting corruption.

“If they are serious about eliminating corruption, they would not try to discredit the KPK,” said Sanusi Pane, the secretary of KWI’s Justice and Peace Commission.

“We think that both suspended commissioners are on the right track as far as doing their jobs is concerned. The law should be upheld.”

Haris Azhar, the deputy chairman of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), said the president needed to urgently appoint an independent investigative team.

He proposed that Constitutional Court President Mahfud MD and former president Jimly Asshidiqie should sit on the team.

Public Expresses Support for Arrested Indonesian KPK Deputies, Disapproval of Police

Markus Junianto Sihaloho & Nurfika Osman

Public support for detained Corruption Eradication Commission deputy chairmen Bibit Samad Rianto and Chandra M Hamzah continued to build over the weekend as anger against the National Police grew.

A page on the Facebook Web site dedicated to Bibit and Chandra had attracted close to a quarter of a million supporters as of Sunday evening. It was created on Friday morning, a day after Bibit and Chandra were taken into custody by police on charges of abuse of power and extortion Meanwhile, politicians and religious groups jumped on the growing bandwagon.

Asri Anas, a member of the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) representing West Java, said 30 fellow DPD members had signed a petition in support of Bibit and Chandra.

The petition, which Asri hoped would be signed by 70 DPD members, addressed five points: to fully support the upholding of the law, to urge all parties not to politicize and criminalize the commission, to give moral support to the commissioners, to express regret for the actions of a “certain party” which wanted to bring the commission down, and to ask the authorities to suspend the arrests of the commissioners.

The “certain party” referred to the police. Many believe police arrested Bibit and Chandra to muzzle the commission, also known as the KPK, which was investigating the National Police’s chief detective, Comr. Gen. Susno Duadji, in relation to the Bank Century scandal. Susno was accused of abusing his power when he issued a letter that later allowed business tycoon Boedi Sampoerna to withdraw $18 million from the troubled bank.

According to state news agency Antara, the KPK has accused Susno of not following proper investigative procedures and fabricating charges against Bibit and Chandra.

The Facebook page contained a number of stinging criticisms of the police’s decision to take Bibit and Chandra into custody. It was labeled “arrogant” and “wrong,” among other things.

“Where are your supporters, dear police, if your conduct is correct?” Facebook user Julia Sagita wrote. “People today are not blind.”

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto said the government was committed to respecting democracy and freedom of speech and would not take action against any civilian organizations protesting against the police.

“If anyone wants to express an opinion on the case, go ahead. Conducting a demonstration is also permitted, whether you support or object [to the police’s action],” Suyanto said.

He reiterated, however, that the government would not intervene in the police’s decision to charge Bibit and Chandra.

On Saturday, former President Abdurrahman Wahid arrived at KPK headquarters to express his readiness to vouch for the innocence of the two suspended deputy chairmen.

“I came to add more support for their release from detention. I am prepared to put my name on the line in this case,” Abdurrahman said.

Masdar F Mas’udi, the deputy head of Indonesia’s largest Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama, said the president must act to resolve the dispute.

“This has become a political issue and it cannot be solved by the conflicting parties,” Masdar said. “Letting this conflict continue could increase the public’s uneasiness that the police are trying to bring down the KPK.”

He said those who would benefit the most were the corruptors who remained at large, while the people’s hopes for a corruption-free country would dissolve.

“We can’t let the public down as the commission is a very important institution in eradicating corruption in the country,” he said.

The Indonesian Bishops Conference (KWI) said the arrests clearly demonstrated that the government was not serious about fighting corruption.

“If they are serious about eliminating corruption, they would not try to discredit the KPK,” said Sanusi Pane, the secretary of KWI’s Justice and Peace Commission.

“We think that both suspended commissioners are on the right track as far as doing their jobs is concerned. The law should be upheld.”

Haris Azhar, the deputy chairman of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), said the president needed to urgently appoint an independent investigative team.

He proposed that Constitutional Court President Mahfud MD and former president Jimly Asshidiqie should sit on the team.