"Openness is the answer to the public`s suspicion that there is a potential for intervention (into Nazaruddin`s case)," Hendardi, chairman of the SETARA Institute, said here on Friday.
He said it was important now to consider the involvement of independent parties, journalists and public lawyers in the group that was to escort Nazaruddin from Bogota to Jakarta.
The problem, he said, is that the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and police were two institutions which had monopolized access to the suspect, and this was not enough to reduce the public`s suspicion about potential intervention.
"The public needs to closely watch the movements of parties suspected to have the potential to influence Nazaruddin`s testimonies," the SETARA Institute chairman said.
He said that the Nazaruddin case should not merely be seen as a case relating to the problem within the ruling Democrat Party (PD) but it should also be taken as a momentum to disclose the alleged state budget allocation and corruption mafia which Nazaruddin was just an individual member of.
"It must be taken as a momentum to create a transparent and accountable political budget for the interest of the people," he said.
Graft suspect Muhammad Nazaruddin together with the joint team of investigators left Bogota, Colombia, at 6.a.m Western Indonesian time (WIB) on Friday and is expected to arrive in Indonesia on Saturday afternoon.
Nazaruddin, who is also a member of the House of Representatives (DPR)`s Commission VII (energy, mineral resources, research and technology affairs) is a graft suspect linked to the construction of a SEA Games athletes village in Palembang, South Sumatra.
He fled to Singapore a day before the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) asked the ministry of justice and human rights to issue a travel ban for him on May 24.
He had been to several countries before he was caught with his wife and several other people at 2 am local time in Cartagena, Colombia, on Monday.
(Uu.A014/HAJM/S012)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
