Corruptors to Counterattack KPK
Thursday, 16 November, 2006 | 11:22 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: Yesterday (15/11) several national figures warned of a counterattack by corruptors against anti-corruption movements including corruption eradication institutions such as the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the Court of Corruption Crimes.

These figures will convey their concerns to the KPK and the House of Representatives (DPR) today.

“Corruptors fight back!” said Zainal Arifin Mochtar, lecturer at Gajah Mada University (UGM) concurrently Advocacy Director of Anti-corruption Study Center at UGM Law Faculty, during “Public Discussion to Overcome Corruptors’ Counterattack” at Sahid Hotel, Jakarta yesterday.

“This is not a joke. Corruptors employ many ways to be free of corruption (charges).”

In addition to Zainal, figures who are concerned over such a counterattack include Attorney General Abdul Rahman Saleh, Coordinator of Indonesia Corruption Watch Teten Masduki, former Defense Minister Mahfud Md., former Head of Foundation of Indonesian Legal Aid Institute (YLBHI) Bambang Widjojanto, Amien Rais, the People’s Legislative Council (MPR) Chairman Hidayat Nur Wahid, Emha Ainun Nadjib, Judicial Commission Chairman Busyro Muqoddas and Deputy Chairman of KPK Sjahruddin Rasul.

Counterattacks by the thieves of state money, said Mahfud Md, law professor, could break down the fight against corruption that many people have dreamed about ever since the beginning of the reform era.

Abdul Rahman Saleh said that currently the corruptors’ counterattacks were divided into two categories, through legal method by corruption eradication regulation judicial reviews to the Constitutional Court and extralegal methods by lawyers, professors and expert witnesses.

To break these attack, according to Abdul Rahman, it is not sufficient only to rely on legal channels, “But also political will.”

KPK is actually currently being counter attacked by several corruption case defendants.

Two defendants in the General Elections Commission (KPU) corruption case, Mulyana W. Kusumah and Nazaruddin Sjamsuddin, plus another former KPU member, have proposed a judicial review of the KPK Law.

“This is a constitutional attack. It’s more than enough to defeat the KPK and even the Court of Corruption Crimes,” said Zainal.

Tito Sianipar, Rini Kustiani and Sutarto