Letter: Graft cases not for police probe

The police should refrain from investigating graft cases and should stick to non-graft crimes like terrorism, drug trafficking, people smuggling, gun smuggling, bank robberies, assault, illegal fishing by foreign boats, etc. They should also focus more on crime prevention.

The government has already appointed the KPK to investigate and deal with graft cases. Law enforcement institutions should not overlap and prowl on each others territory.

The police have been trained to uphold security and they have been instructed on how to maintain order.

Moreover, the police already have a tainted record for investigating graft cases because due to king-sized bribes, corrupt officials are never prosecuted. Big-time criminals always go scott-free as dealing with the police, they use their slogan: when money talks, the criminal walks.

Emerson Yuntho from Indonesia Corruption Watch stated that from 2002 to 2008 there were 17 corruption cases that were handled by the Police and so far there has not been any progress. One such case is the allegation that account no.502 has caused Rp.20.9 trillion in state losses and former central Bank governor Syachril Sabirin, former IBRA officials like Putu Gede Ary Suta and Cacuk Sudaryanto were named as suspects.

The police never took legal steps regarding this case. In 2005 the procurement of police communication device has caused Rp.240 billion in state losses. These two cases have died a slow death.

The KPK however has its own experts and professionals when dealing with corruptors; they know how to investigate a graft case. They have put many corruptors behind bars. This has triggered the police to work against the KPK. Their easy, luxurious lifestyle has been threatened. SBY should appoint the KPK as the only institution to deal with graft. He should tell the police to refrain from graft cases and he should do it now!

Lyna
Bogor, West Java