President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will definitely suspend Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chief Antasari Azhar, a suspect in a sex-driven murder scandal, a presidential advisor said Saturday, amid growing pressure to save the integrity of the anti-graft body.

Antasari was named a suspect Friday by the Attorney General's Office (AGO) in connection with the murder of Nasrudin Zulkarnaen, director of state pharmaceutical firm PT Putra Rajawali Banjaran (PRB), on March 14.

"Soon after we receive an official letter from the police about Antasari, the President will certainly issue a letter suspending him," SBY's staff expert of legal affairs Denny Indrayana told The Jakarta Post.

The 2002 KPK law mandates the President to suspend any commission members should they be declared suspects in a criminal case, and to fire them if they stand trial on criminal charges as defendants.

Denny said the four KPK deputies would collectively lead the anti-graft body when Antasari was suspended.

However, former presidential advisor Adnan Buyung Nasution said a collective leadership would not suit the KPK, suggesting the President should summon the four deputies and ask them to choose one acting chairman.

House of Representatives' legal affairs commission head Trimedya Pandjaitan said legislators will soon hold a meeting to discuss Antasari's plight.

"The Antasari case is a shock for the KPK. Its image will be blemished as a result," he said.

Earlier Saturday, anti-corruption activists urged the President to immediately suspend Antasari to save the KPK's integrity and credibility in combating corruption.

The murder scandal involving its chairman should not deter the KPK from pressing ahead with its investigations into major graft cases, they added.

"Antasari's case is personal and has nothing to do with the KPK. The institution is more important than Antasari," Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) legal researcher Febri Diansyah told a press conference.

He warned rumors had been spread over the Internet and by text messages to degrade and demoralize the KPK and cause people to distrust the anti-graft body.

Febri also said the KPK should feel relieved and empowered to probe more cases once Antasari was suspended, arguing the commission chief had several times intervened and blocked major corruption probes his institution had launched.

Febri cited as example the probe into a bribery scandal involving legislator Agus Condro, which the KPK has stalled for months.

Agus, a legislator from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), filed a report on an alleged Bank Indonesia (BI) bribery, where he had received Rp 500 million (US$47,000) after Miranda S. Goeltom's election as BI senior deputy governor in 2004.

Agus had been questioned by the KPK but no suspects were named despite the legislator returning the bribery money to the anti-graft body.

"Antasari has become an obstacle for the KPK. So, despite the murder case, Antasari's suspension can be good news," Febri said.

"It's like removing a tooth. It will hurt you for a moment, but then you will feel better for a long time afterward," he added.

Another ICW activist, Dadang Tri Sasongko, said Antasari had a poor track record as a senior prosecutor at the AGO. "We knew Antasari was not clean during his previous stint as a prosecutor. But our input to the House was ignored," he said.

Antasari's legal team's spokesman Juniver Girsang denied his client had been named a suspect in the murder case. "We received a letter from the police summoning Antasari as a witness, not as a suspect."

Juniver also dismissed as slander rumors Antasari masterminded Nasrudin's murder. (bbs)

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