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Public support KPK deputy chairmen
The recent arrests of two suspended Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deputy chairmen, Bibit Samad Rianto and Chandra M
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he recent arrests of two suspended Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deputy chairmen, Bibit Samad Rianto and Chandra M. Hamzah, by the National Police has prompted strong reaction from the public, who voiced their dissent through Internet sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
On social networking site Facebook, users can show their support for the two officials by joining a group called “Gerakan 1,000,000 Facebookers Dukung Chandra Hamzah & Bibit Samad Rianto” (The move of 1,000,000 Facebook users to support Chandra Hamzah and Bibit Samad Rianto).
Bibit and Chandra were charged with abuse of power for imposing and then lifting a travel ban on graft suspects Anggoro Widjojo and Djoko Sugiarto Tjandra, and receiving bribes from the former.
Usman Yasin, the initiator of the Facebook group, said he supported the deputies, who the National Police deputy chief detective Insp. Gen. Dikdik Mulyana accused Thursday of “jeopardizing the investigation by expressing their personal opinions to the public.”
“I have been dealing with prosecutors and courts for a long time and I think the KPK was born because the police and prosecutors failed to provide justice in Indo-nesia,” he told The Jakarta Post on Friday.
Usman, who is currently studying for his PhD at the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB), has been active in various legal matters, such as the alleged corruption case involving Bengkulu Governor Agusrin Maryono Najamuddin, for more than a decade. Despite coming into contact with the KPK several times, Usman said he had not met either Bibit or Chandra.
“I heard Chandra was a humble man, and I also hear [about Chandra and Bibit] through my friends who know them ... their struggle reminds me of mine,” he said.
Usman formed the group Thursday at around 3 p.m. As of around 10 p.m. Friday, the group’s mem-
bers had reached 55,965, exceeding his target.
“I aimed for 50,000 members today and hopefully this will increase to 150,000 members Saturday,” he said.
Usman said he hoped the government would pay attention to the public support if the group reached its target number.
“Remember the Prita case,” he said. “Her support group only had around 100,000 but this was enough to unsettle the government.”
Prita Mulyasari, a housewife who posted emails voicing her disappointment at the treatment she received from Omni International Hospital, Tangerang, received considerable public recognition in June when the hospital accused her of libel.
A surge of Internet support, including on Facebook, helped raise more awareness about the case, which involved her being detained in a state penitentiary for three weeks.
The court dropped all charges against Prita, partly because of the intense public outcry.
However, the Banten High Court recently ordered the Tangerang District Court to reopen the case, when public support dwindled.
Twitter, the networking site, was rife with comments and support for the KPK on Friday.
“Don’t give in KPK,” said one user. “We support [you].” Another Tweet read, “KPK versus POLRI is no longer about right or wrong, but [about] pride and good image.” (dis)
