‘Bring Susno, Ritonga to court’

Legislators and antigraft activists demand that former National Police chief detective Comr. Gen. Susno Duadji and inactive deputy Attorney General Abdul Hakim Ritonga be taken to court for their alleged involvement in case fabrication designed to weaken the KPK.

“Susno and Ritonga must not only receive administrative punishments,” legislator Ruhut Sitompul from the Democratic Party told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

“They must be taken to court. Especially after a recent playing of a recording clearly revealed their possible conspiracy with Anggodo [Widjojo] to weaken the Corruption Eradication Commission [KPK].”

Ruhut was referring to a voice recording that was played at the Constitutional Court revealing that Anggodo, the younger brother of fugitive graft suspect Anggoro Widjojo, coordinated with Susno and Ritonga to frame two suspended KPK deputy chairmen, Chandra M. Hamzah and Bibit Samad Rianto, with charges of bribery and power abuse.

Ruhut also admonished National Police chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri and Attorney General Hendarman Supandji for being reluctant to punish their corrupt subordinates sooner.

On Tuesday Bambang decided to demote Susno to a non-job position at the National Police headquarters.

Ritonga had earlier tendered his resignation, opting for early retirement from the Attorney General’s Office. However, Hendarman has not yet let his deputy go.

“President Susilo Bambang Yu-dhoyono ordered them a long time ago to clean the parasites from their internal structures,” Ruhut said. “Why has it taken them so long to obey the President’s instructions?

“Should the police chief and the attorney general resign as a sign of moral responsibility? I’ll leave the decision in their hands.”

Zainal Arifin Muchtar, executive director of the Center for AntiCorruption Studies (Pukat) at Yogyakarta’s Gadjah Mada University, said Yudhoyono had to fire both Bambang and Hendarman.

“Replacing Susno and Ritonga is not equate to a full reform of the police and the AGO,” he said.

“The President should have noticed that under their management, law enforcement institutions have become diseased.”

Meanwhile, political expert from University of Indonesia (UI), Boni Hargens, appreciated Bambang’s move to replace Susno but deemed it inadequate.

“The biggest responsibility for the police’s tarnished structure falls into the hands of its chief,” he said.

“He must be the one who feels the utmost shame,” he said. “Therefore, morally speaking the chief must resign to show his responsibility.”

Boni said people should refer to Richard Nixon’s resignation from the US Presidency after the Watergate scandal.

“Nixon said he decided to resign because he was morally responsible for the violation conducted by his campaign team in the scandal.”

“I dream of a day when we can see a leader or a president who is willing to resign for the mistakes done by his or her subordinates.”

Antigraft activist Danang Widoyoko from the Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) said the police chief and attorney general should avoid giving new posts to troubled officials.

“Next time replacement of officials should be examined by an independent team comprising officials from respective institutions and outside experts,” he said.