Unless President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono takes swift and strongmeasures to prove that he is on the side of the people in the war against corruption, he could face increasing public dissatisfaction, if an online campaign is any indication.
In just nine days, more than one million members of the Facebook social network have signed up in support of former Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deputies, Bibit Samad Rianto and Chandra M. Hamzah.
The target of 1,000,000 Facebook users, set last Thursday, was reached at 6.30 a.m. Saturday. In a further show of support, several music performers including rock band Slank will perform at the Hotel Indonesia Traffic Circle on Sunday morning.
This is the second time Facebookers are showing their might to the government.
In June this year, 100,000 Facebookers urged Tangerang District Court to drop the case against Prita Mulyasari, who was being sued for libel by a private hospital. The court to dropped all charges against Prita following the intense public outcry. Banten High Court, however ordered the local court to retry Prita.
The 1,000,000-strong Facebook movement to support Bibit and Chandra was launched in response to the National Police's arrest of the two former KPK deputies.
The President's statement last Friday, which was widely perceived to be defending the arrests of Bibit and Chandra, prompted strong reactions from the public, who used Internet sites such as Facebook and Twitter to show moral support to Bibit and Chandra and to criticize the police.
One Facebook user, Agung Widyo Santoso, posted a comment, saying "The police must be brave to admit this case aimed to criminalize *KPK leaders*".
Another Facebook member, Adi Tia Harjaya, posted, "Who would not be hurt when I want to get my driving license, I was extorted by police offi cers *sic*"; Novie Runtakahu added, "It is just a license business, how would it be if they deal with the bigger cases *sic*".
Bibit and Chandra are charged with abuse of power for imposing and then lifting a travel ban on graft suspects Anggoro Widjojo and Djoko Sugiarto Tjandra, and with receiving bribes and extorting money from Anggoro.
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