Experts: SBY must report Anggodo for defamation

JAKARTA: A panel of experts has urged President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to file a report to the police on Anggodo Widjojo for defamation.

"Otherwise, this may be taken to mean that the president is confirming his alleged awareness of the efforts to weaken the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK)," a political communication expert from the University of Indonesia, Effendi Gazali, told a discussion at the House of Representatives in Jakarta on Thursday.

Yudhoyono's famous acronym - SBY - was mentioned several times in a recording, which was played at the Constitutional Court and which implied in various parts of the tape the alleged cooperation between Anggodo, officials of the National Police and the Attorney Generals Office (AGO) to incriminate KPK deputy chairmen, Chandra M. Hamzah and Bibit Samad Rianto.

Yudhoyono then ordered the police to identify the perpetrators quoting his name in the recording. Anggodo, one of the alleged perpetrators, has yet to face criminal charges or be detained by the police.

Also speaking in the discussion was Negarawan Center director Johan Silalahi, who said his institution would delay giving its Anti-Corruption Award to Yudhoyono until the president showed real commitment to uphold the rule of law and to strengthen the fight against corruption.

"To merit this award, the president must at least resolve the Bank Century debacle," he said. - JP