I told both of them that they were my champions in the fight against corruptionJakarta (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has called on the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the police to join hands in order to eradicate corruption.
"I have called for collaboration between the two parties in order to step up corruption eradication efforts," he said at a working meeting at the Military (TNI) Headquarters here on Thursday.
The President added that he had conveyed his message directly to KPK chief Abraham Samad and National Police chief General Timur Pradopo during the fast-breaking gathering at the police headquarters on Wednesday.
"That is right. Last night at the fast-breaking gathering, I met with the KPK chief and talked with him," he said.
The head of state stated that he had asked Samad and Timur to improve relations between the two institutions through better coordination and communication. President Yudhoyono expressed hope that the police and KPK would soon sort out their issues and work together to fight corruption.
"I told both of them that they were my champions in the fight against corruption," he said, adding that the KPK, the police, and the attorney general`s office played an equally important role in the state.
President Yudhoyono made the statement in the wake of a dispute over jurisdiction in a case involving alleged corruption by high-ranking police officers.
The KPK recently raided the National Traffic Police Corps office to search for evidence relating to the alleged corruption during the procurement of driving simulators. The corruption case involves a former Traffic Police Corps chief who was recently suspended from his post of Police Academy governor. Many other officers have also been suspended in connection with the case.
The police claimed the KPK had no right to investigate the case because the police had already done so, while the KPK argued that it had started the investigation.
(F008)
Editor: Ella Syafputri
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
