R

eligious leaders are joining the campaign to defend the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) from those who would undermine its antigraft crusade.

On Monday, several religious leaders — including Paramadina University rector Anies Baswedan, State Islamic University (UIN) rector Komarudin Hidayat, Indonesian Bishops Conference (KWI) rights commission secretary Benny Susetyo — joined legal experts Hikmahanto Juwana and J.E Sahetapy at KPK headquarters to deliver their support.

“We discussed many things, but most importantly we are aware that there have been systematic efforts to delegitimize the KPK,” Anies told reporters after meeting with the KPK’s leaders on Monday.

Anies said that there had been repeated efforts to strip the KPK of its authority in recent months, while Sahetapy said that the KPK was of great national importance as the National Police and the Attorney General’s Office were dysfunctional.

Sahetapy said that those who would undermine the KPK were collaborators with corruption. “Those who make an effort to cripple the KPK, including lawmakers, could be categorized as enemies of the state,” Sahetapy said.

Also on Monday, the local chapter of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) in Surakarta, Central Java, also gave its support to the KPK.

Surakarta MUI chairman Zainal Arifin Adnan said that the commission needed more support to maintain its existence. “We see there are organized efforts to cripple this institution, and we hope more support will help the KPK to bring forth justice and truth,” he said.

The KPK is currently investigating a case involving the former chief of the National Traffic Police Corps (Korlantas), Insp. Gen. Djoko Susilo, the first active duty police general named a suspect by the
commission.

The government lost US$19.81 million from graft in the case, which involved the procurement of driving simulators for the Traffic Corps.

The case also has connections to National Police chief Gen. Timur Pradopo, who was required to approve the procurement due to its large price tag.

Djoko did not comply with the KPK’s initial summons on Friday, sending two lawyers in his place, arguing that the commission lacked the authority to handle the case.

Djoko’s lawyers Juniver Girsang and Hotma Sitompul said that they asked the Supreme Court to determine if the case should be investigated by the commission or the police.

However, Supreme Court spokesperson Djoko Sarwoko told The Jakarta Post on Monday the court would not issue such a decree.

“We will not make a decision, as only government institutions can file such requests,” Djoko said.

KPK spokesperson Johan Budi said that the commission sent another summons to Djoko on Monday and expected him to appear later this week for questioning.

“The KPK is continuing its investigations of [Djoko], and we will proceed with the case,” he said.

Johan said that no new information had been collected regarding the case.

Following a contentious standoff between KPK investigators and officers at Korlantas headquarters, the National Police recalled 20 officers seconded to the KPK, almost a third of its investigative unit.