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Jakarta Post

Editorial: The Antasari soap opera

The killing of Nasruddin Zulkarnaen is unfolding like a soap opera

The Jakarta Post
Wed, May 13, 2009

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Editorial: The Antasari soap opera

The killing of Nasruddin Zulkarnaen is unfolding like a soap opera. The media tends to “blow up” the story because audiences are very interested in knowing anything – regardless whether or not it’s relevant or accurate – about the murder. This is partly because they are fed up with reports over the behavior of our power-hungry politicians, who are busy trying to form coalitions.

The case has attracted a great deal of public attention because the National Police (Polri) have officially linked Antasari Azhar, the now inactive chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), to the killing. Will our law enforcers be able or willing to reveal the whole truth behind Nasruddin’s murder and imprison all people responsible for the murder? Or will they settle for a scapegoat?

What is worrying however is that many parties, including the media, often tend to ignore several basic ethical rules of the game, such as respect for privacy. We, the media, also often fail to respect the privacy of people because of the intense competition to get a scoop.

Let us then look at members of the House of Representatives (DPR), who are using Antasari’s absence from the KPK as the reason, or more precisely excuse, to castrate the Commission, which has jailed many corruptors, including House members, and has also listed many more legislators on its list of targets. The stance of House members has apparently received quiet support from many government officials and institutions. But it is very clear the KPK is not the personification of Antasari. No one has the right to weaken the KPK. The Commission must go ahead hunting those who steal from state coffers. The stakeholders of this country must work together to resist any attempt to jeopardize the KPK’s work.

Did Antasari really kill Nasruddin? What was his motive? Is it true that he was involved in the killing because he had an affair with Nasruddin’s third wife, Rhani Juliani and the victim used the affair to blackmail the former senior prosecutor?  Why were the attorney general’s office and the National Police so eager to handle this case? Many people believe Antasari is innocent and they are suspect many corruptors want to eliminate him because of his success in jailing major corruptors.  Hundreds more questions and arguments can be raised, but the court is the only one with the authority to decide what really happened.

We share the grief of Nasruddin’s family. They have the right to find out who is, or who are, responsible for the death of their beloved. National Police chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri has the perfect opportunity to prove that he fully deserves the position by ensuring that anyone responsible for the murder will be brought to justice. Attorney General Hendarman Supandji also has the perfect opportunity to give evidence that his office does not harbor ill will towards Antasari after he  uncovered a major bribery scandal at his former office.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono also needs to prove that no one can stop him from upholding the truth behind Nasruddin’s death.

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