The public is wondering whether Nazaruddin`s case will not meet the same fate as the Bank Century bailout case, the Antasari case and the Gayus Tambunan tax mafia case which all ended in an anticlimax.
Nazaruddin`s case, if handled properly, could become a momentum to end the alleged state budget (APBN) mafia at the House of Representatives, and to improve the political parties` fund raising methods, according to Zaenal Arifin Mochtar, director of the Anti-corruption Study Center (Pukat) of the University of Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta.
Nazaruddin personally must face a legal process for corruption allegations, Zainal told MetroTV on Saturday evening (Aug 13), following his return to Indonesia after being on the run for almost three months.
However, he also must be treated as a potential whistle blower on alleged corruption cases involving political elites and legislators because he, as a legislator and former treasurer of the ruling party, Democrat Party, was very well informed about the APBN mafia at the House of Representatives and political parties` fund raising methods, he added.
Nazaruddin has repeatedly claimed that several big names were involved in the corruption scandal that has engulfed him, including Democratic Party chairman Anas Urbaningrum and several House legislators. They have all firmly denied the allegations.
After being named as a corruption suspect, Nazaruddin fled Indonesia to Singapore on May 23, 2011, a day before the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) imposed a travel ban on him.
He was arrested by the Colombian immigration officers for using someone else`s passport, in Cartagena on August 6, 2011.
On August 12, he was brought back to Jakarta by a chartered plane. During the long journey, Nazaruddin was escorted by 10 Indonesian officials from the KPK, the police, the immigration office and the foreign ministry. His lawyer, OC Kaligis, who was in Bogota at that time, was not allowed to accompany him.
The Gulfstream jet plane arrived at the Halim Perdanakusuma airport, eastern Jakarta at around 8pm western Indonesia standard time (WIB), believed to be about 12 hours longer than it had earlier scheduled.
Reporters and cameramen who covered the event were not allowed to approach Nazaruddin who was tightly escorted from the plane to the car and immediately taken to the Police Mobile Brigade Headquarters (Mako Brimob)`s detention center in Depok, West Java.
The KPK is handling Nazaruddin`s alleged corruption cases in various ministries with a total value of Rp6.037 trillion.
"The total value of the projects has been recorded at Rp6.037 trillion. We will continue to handle these cases through a judicial process," KPK chief Busyro Muqoddas told a press conference in Jakarta on Saturday night (Aug 13).
He said that alleged corruption cases linked to former Democratic Party (PD) treasurer Nazaruddin consisted of three classification of stages, namely those in the stage of examinations, investigations and data collecting, particularly cases from public complaints.
Busyro said that cases in the examination stage came from two ministries with a combined value of Rp2.642 trillion, while those in the investigation stage came from projects of two ministries worth Rp200 billion.
He said that with regard to the cases coming from the public complaints, the KPK was collecting data of 131 cases which involved Nazaruddin in five ministries.
Chairman of the National Democrat (Nasdem) Party Patrice Rio Capella has called on all parties, especially the press, to closely monitor the legal process of Nazaruddin.
"I am sure there will be a lot of interventions during the examination. A simple indication was that Nazaruddin`s arrest could be conducted very quickly compared to other corruption fugitives. It`s weird," Patrice Rio Capella said in Serang, Banten, on Sunday (Aug 14).
He hoped Nazaruddin could reveal openly the names of those involved in the cases.
"I am sure Nazaruddin is not alone in this case. Most likely the graft cases involve other political elites and officials in this country," Patrice said.
But, whether or not Nazaruddin will be consistent in his further statements or testimonies will more or less be determined by how the KPK treats him, Bambang Suesatyo, deputy treasurer of the Golkar Pary said on Sunday (Aug 14).
"The KPK is playing an important role in determining the final outcome of Nazaruddin`d case," he said.
"The public has taken notes of what Nazaruddin has said. And remember, the Indonesian people are no longer stupid as the elites thought," he added
"Because this case`s political content is so high, we, the public, just hope KPK will remain independent and focus on the legal enforcement aspect," he said.
Bambang also suggested that the KPK`s Ethics Committee be involved in solving he case in order to prevent public suspicion of KPK`s impartiality.
"This suggestion is relevant, because many important figures are involved in the Nazaruddin`s case. And we are worried that there is a scenario to let Naxaruddin alone be prosecuted for the bribery case linked to the Sea Games athlete dormitory project and keep other people scot-free," he said.
The involvement of independent parties in solving Nazaruddin`s case was therefore very crucial to convince the public.
According to Bambang, the public hoped Nazaruddin would continue to disclose the alleged involvement of other public figures. And if Nazaruddin suddenly shut his mouth, the public would draw the conclusion that he had been pressured or forced to do so, he said.
He said Nazaruddin had become a "ghost" for a number of important people in this country.
"In addition to several leaders of the KPK itself, there are ministers, political elites, and several legislators who have made Nazaruddin their common enemy. Because he is considered to be a threat to their careers," he said.
They would not stay idle now that Nazaruddin had been arrested and brought back to Indonesia.
"In view of these issues, it`s difficult for the public to believe and be sure that the KPK will not be intervened by the important figures whose profiles have been torn apart by Nazaruddin," he said.
Chief Security Minister Djoko Suyanto, however, ensured that there was no political deal between Nasaruddin and the government officials during the repatriation of the graft suspect from Colombia and Indonesia.
"There is no certain interest, let alone political interest of certain parties," the coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs, said on Saturday (Aug 13).
Zainal Arifin Mochtar reminded that the public should not be too excited only during the arrival of Nazaruddin, but must make sure that the legal process must be carried out properly.
"For instance the Gayus case. The case was hot issue when he was named suspect, hunted down, and arrested. But the legal process has been very slow," he told the media
He hoped that KPK would be able to investigate a number of political party elites mentioned by Nazaruddin of being involved in several graft cases.
Zainal also reminded that Nazaruddin`s court trials must be thorough and free from intervention from outside parties, so it could run smoothly, or otherwise, corruption in Indonesia could be out of control.
"It must be dealt with comprehensively, if not, Indonesia will be chaotic," he said.
The nation cannot afford missing the momentum to put the state budget mafia into end and straighten the political party fund raising methods.
(T.F001/HAJM/O001)
Reporter: by Fardah
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
