President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has ordered the presidential development monitoring and control unit chief (UKP4), Kuntoro Mangkusubroto, to coordinate efforts to eradicate court mafia.
Kuntoro said here Thursday that his unit would coordinate with the National Police, the Attorney General's Office (AGO), the Supreme Court, the Justice and Human Rights Ministry and the State Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP) to formulate the measures.
"The President has given us the assignment, and we will break it down into activities and action plans that we will work out tomorrow," Kuntoro told reporters after a Cabinet plenary session at the Presidential Office.
He said the planned measures to combat court mafia were the government's top priority in its first 100-day program, and not an implementation of recommendations made by the presidential fact-finding team investigating the alleged plot against two leaders of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Bibit Samad Rianto and Chandra M. Hamzah.
"It is related to, but not necessarily a response to the fact-finding team's recommendations," Kuntoro said.
"As for the response *on the team's recommendations*, the President will speak about it later on," he added.
Meanwhile, Justice and Human Rights Minister Patrialis Akbar said the coordinated measures were expected to combat not just court mafia, but also other kinds of corrupt activities involving the issuance of land permits and vehicle registration.
"The government really wants to provide good services. We are aware of widespread extortion practices, and illegal levies, even at judiciary institutions.
"That's why we need a comprehensive plan to address the issue," he said.
Patrialis added the President had received many texts and letters in the government's special mailbox, PO BOX 9949 Jakarta 1000, dedicated to those wanting to report court mafia practices.
Letters for the mail address must display the code "GM", which is an acronym for Ganyang Mafia (Smash Mafia).
While opening the Cabinet plenary session, Yudhoyono said that what institution would take responsibility for implementing the measures to eradicate court mafia had to be discussed thoroughly.
"In these first 100 days, I want action to combat court mafia so that people will really feel that justice is being better upheld," he said.
"And so, those who run the so-called court mafia practices will no longer have the privilege and freedom to do whatever they like," he added.
The President gave the statement amid much disappointment from the public over his decision not to respond to the recommendations made by the fact-finding team on the Bibit and Chandra case until next Monday.
Voice recordings played at the Constitutional Court recently revealed how middlemen managed to arrange how the police, prosecutors and witnesses should act according to their role in the alleged plot, raising public outcry that the President take stern action against the practices.
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