To anyone expecting heads to roll, the President warns that no one should press him to act beyond his authority, following the recommendations of his team investigating the controversial KPK case.
“We don’t want our efforts to settle the issue leading to more serious problems,” said President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Wednesday at the State Palace.
“And don’t force me as President to take measures beyond my authority,” he added.
He was opening a meeting on the team’s final report with a number of Cabinet ministers, the National Police chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri and Attorney General Hendarman Supandji.
The President is to announce Monday his decisions regarding the recommendations of his fact-finding team.
The team headed by top lawyer Adnan Buyung Nasution recommended the police and the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) drop the extortion, bribery and abuse of power charges against the deputies of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).
The President was also urged to “punish officials responsible for the flawed legal process” as the investigation into the deputies, Bibit Samad Rianto and Chandra M. Hamzah, “indicated fabrication of evidence,” the team said.
The team also said a priority should be to “combat case brokers”, referring to the mafia affecting all law enforcement agencies, starting with the current case involving the alleged main fixer, businessman Anggodo Widjojo.
It was Anggodo’s voice which was the center of attention in a nationwide broadcast of wiretapped discussions involving high ranking police officers and prosecutors.
The broadcast by the Constitutional Court, the first of its kind in the country’s history, strongly hinted at the backroom wheeling and dealing thought to characterize the “buying and selling” of justice during past decades, up until now.
Despite the broadcast and the team’s recommendations, until Wednesday police had not declared Anggodo as a suspect; his motivation is believed to have been that the KPK should drop the investigations into his brother’s case.
Police chief Bambang also said he is “still considering” what to do with National Police chief detective Comr. Gen. Susno Duadji, one of the officers mentioned in the recording.
One conclusion of the fact-finding team was that Susno had “a high commitment” to Anggodo.
National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Nanan Sukarna said charges against Anggodo might range from defamation to attempted murder, “but there has been no solid evidence so far.”
In contrast to the team’s recommendation, Attorney General Hendarman told the House of Representatives’ Commission III overseeing legal affairs that the dossiers of Bibit and Chandra have been completed.
Hendarman also explained that he would hold an internal meeting Friday to discuss the team’s recommendation.
While actions toward those suspected of manipulating the law are yet to become clear, Yudhoyono said he was mulling legal action against those spreading “false, unclear” rumors involving
him and his family members, possibly referring to a separate case related to the Bank Century case.
He was quick to add that his private interest to protect his reputation would only be attended to after the current KPK case would be resolved.
“That will come later,” he said.
More than 200 legislators have petitioned for a committee of inquiry into the controversial Rp 6.76 trillion (US$716 million) bailout of the bank.
During his earlier term, the President had filed a lawsuit against a politician who had said he had been married before entering the army, but the politician had apologized.
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