SBY Will Not Intervene in KPK, Police Stand-Off Over Driving Simulator Graft Case

Jakarta Globe

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s office said he would not intervene in the growing conflict between the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the National Police in the driving simulator graft case, which continues to implicate high-ranking police officials.

Julian Aldrin Pasha, the president’s spokesman, said each institution should work to find a solution.

“As we know, the president has a clear stance in abiding by and respecting the law, and can not be forced to intervene,” Julian said on Friday, as quoted by Antara. “On technical [matters] related to legal enforcement, let the system work, and we’ll see the result.”

Julian said President Yudhoyono received the report about the investigation on Tuesday.

“He ordered the Coordinating Minister of Political, Legal and Security Affairs [Djoko Suyanto] to communicate with the National Police and KPK to create synergy in handling the Korlantas case,” he said.

The KPK named two police generals as suspects in the driving simulator graft case, including Insp. Gen. Djoko Susilo, the former director of National Police Traffic Corps (Korlantas) and current Police Academy governor, as well as Korlantas current deputy chief, Brig. Gen. Didik Purnomo on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively.

Djoko allegedly received Rp 2 billion ($212,000) in a kickbacks to award a contract to buy more than 1,200 driving simulators to metal company Citra mandiri Metalindo Abadi.

The inter-agency conflict intensified when police locked KPK investigators in the Korlantas building from Monday afternoon until early Tuesday to prevent them from removing evidence. KPK investigators were eventually allowed to leave after negotiations between the KPK chairman and deputies with the National Police detective unit, chief Comr. Gen. Sutarman.

On Friday however, Sutarman said the KPK disturbed police work when searching the office on Monday. “The implication of searching and confiscating the goods that are not related to the driving simulator has slowed down public service,” Sutarman said.

The police have since assigned five provost members to secure the locked-container containing the evidence at the KPK office around the clock.

Police claimed they began their own investigation into the driving simulator graft when the KPK named suspects on Tuesday. The National Police named four suspects in this case — but not until Wednesday — including Didik and Korlantas tender head Adj. Sr. Comr. Tedi Rusmawan. Djoko was not named a suspect by the police.

Sutarman also said the National Police would not hand over their own version of suspects to the KPK.

Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle lawmaker Tubagus Hasanuddin said the president should intervene to prevent the conflict from growing into an unmanageable fight.

“The situation only makes the police image worsen in the eyes of the public,” Tubagus said, adding that the President should direct superiors at the National Police to cooperate in the investigation.

Hikmahanto Juwana, an International Law professor at the University of Indonesia, also called on the president to ask the police to hand over their case to KPK.

“Firmness is needed amid the image that the police are reluctant to hand over the case to the KPK,” Hikmahanto said. “The President ordering the National Police to obey the Corruption Eradication Commission is not legal intervention. Such an order is a commitment of the president to uphold a law-based country.”