The party's resentment of the KPK's statement makes, sense since its actions had nothing to do with obstructing the war on graft. Rather it was related to clear-cut legal procedures when confiscating the vehicles.

The war of words in the media between the two is irrefutable and will only create new problems, particularly for the PKS.

I have not seen any resistance exhibited by the PKS in the war on corruption. The PKS remains on track while its leaders have not been talkative in responding to Luthfi's graft case. This is much better since legal evidence speaks louder and better than claims of respective truth.

Therefore, the psy-war in the media should be avoided; let the facts speak for themselves in court instead. The excessive psy-war may backfire and cause the party a lot of trouble.

People will lay blame on the party for attacking the KPK, which is still regarded as the country's most trusted anticorruption agency.

For the sake of justice, it is demanded that the KPK take more progressive and firmer action in the fight against corruption. People have faith in the KPK dealing with much bigger cases involving the elites within the ruling Democratic Party.

However, with Anas Urbaningrum and Andi Mallarangeng still breathing free air, for instance, one cannot be blamed for viewing the KPK leaders as being co-opted by the palace or President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's men. Some might even say that the antigraft investigators sent to Washington, D.C to question World Bank managing director Sri Mulyani Indrawati, a former finance minister, were simply there to produce sensation instead of completing the legal case in the Bank Century scandal.

It is easy to see how the KPK has been less aggressive in dealing with other crucial graft cases, among these the alleged corruption at Petral (Pertamina Energy Trading Limited) with potential state losses of US$1.5 billion in Libya, irregularities and violations in the bid process for the e-ID card project leading to alleged potential losses of Rp 1 trillion (US$1 billion) in 2011, the alleged role of Golkar Party leader and Cabinet minister Agung Laksono in the graft case related to construction of a Rp 290 billion stadium for the National Games (PON) in Pekanbaru and many others.

While the KPK shows its angry face in particular cases, as in the beef import graft case, while approaching other graft cases in a softer fashion, the credibility of the anticorruption agency will be at stake.

The KPK's constant focus on the beef import graft case implicating PKS elites will give the impression that the antigraft body is committing character assassination on the party.

We love the KPK. The PKS leaders and members must also love the KPK. The anticorruption body is only expected to maintain independence and avoid double standards when investigating corruption cases. It should therefore investigate every allegation of corruption for the sake of equality before the law.

The writer, a graduate of the University of Canberra, Australia, is a lecturer at the school of Cultural Sciences at Andalas University, Padang.

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