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Jakarta.  Legislators have urged the police to quit “playing around” and haul in for questioning a Justice Ministry official at the center of the ownership dispute over private broadcaster Televisi Pendidikan Indonesia.

Police had previously subpoenaed Rike Amavita, the Justice and Human Rights Ministry’s acting director for state administrative affairs, to come in for questioning over a letter she issued that has been used to justify Siti “Tutut” Hardiyanti Rukmana’s claim to TPI.

However, Rike has failed to answer two summonses.

Trimedya Panjaitan, from the House of Representatives Commission III, overseeing legal affairs, said on Friday that the commission wanted the ownership dispute resolved because it affected the jobs of thousands of TPI employees, and had thus decided to monitor the authorities’ handling of the case.

“We’ve received many complaints questioning the independence of police and prosecutors in handling the case,” he said.

“Stop playing around and get serious about this case.”

The TPI dispute stems from the letter, signed on June 8 by Rike, which effectively nullified media mogul Hary Tanoesoedibjo’s ownership of the company.

Hary obtained a majority stake in the broadcaster in 2004 in exchange for helping settle the debts of its then sole owner, Tutut, the eldest daughter of former President Suharto.

Testifying before Commission III earlier this week, Hary said the letter was unlawful because it was signed by an acting director. He has reported both Rike and Tutut to the police over the letter.

Trimedya said Rike’s testimony would be crucial in getting to the bottom of the issue.

“If she was ordered by Minister Patrialis Akbar to issue the letter, that could be grounds for a probe of the ministry’s performance,” he said. “We need to know if the letter was her own initiative or if there was pressure from elsewhere to issue it.”

Fellow Commission III legislator Bambang Susatyo said the police should have arrested Rike after her second no-show.

However, legislator Nudirman Munir said Rike’s absences may have been a bureaucratic matter, pointing out that civil servants needed their superior’s permission to go in for questioning.

“Maybe she’s been assigned to something by the minister and can’t leave the office,” he said.