"The military only provides the place."Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The military chief Admiral Agus Suhartono said the military only lends detention houses to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), adding it would not be involved in running the place.
"The military only provides the place. KPK will take over in guarding the place," Adm. Agus said before attending a cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
He said the military`s contribution to stamping out corruption from this country deserves support and should be appreciated.
Earlier, Minister for Law and Human Rights Amir Syamsuddin said the military detention houses in Guntur, Manggarai, South Jakarta are fit and good enough for use by KPK for its corruption suspects.
"A team of KPK and the Directorate General of Correctional Institutions of the Law and Human Right Ministry has inspected the detention houses and found the place suitable," Amir said.
He said the military detention houses are even better than the ones owned by KPK on the ground floor of the KPK building.
"I think there should be no problem if KPK borrow the place," he said, adding the Law and Human Rights Ministry only shows its support for attempts to eradicate corruption.
Last week, chairman of the Indonesia Police Watch (IPW) Neta S. Pane said the KPK`s "maneuver" in turning to the military for detention house, succeeded in creating apprehension among the police leaders.
The anxiety is greater when rumors are circulating that KPK is targeting more police officers suspected of being involved in the driving simulator case involving police`s Traffic Corps.
KPK has named suspects two police generals, former chief of the police Traffic Corp Ins. Gen. Djoko Susilo and his deputy Brig. Gen. Didik Purnomo and two civilians in the Rp198 billion graft case.
Police, who claimed it already investigated the case ahead of KPK moved faster by naming five suspects even put them in detention.
Three of the suspects including Didik Purnomo are also in the list of KPK`s suspects but not including Djoko, the main suspect of KPK.
The move by police added to the disharmony in the relationship between the two law enforcement agencies and has been criticized as an attempt by police to protect more police generals from being dragged into the case.
Under the Law on KPK, other law enforcement agencies including police and the attorney general office may not interfere in corruption case being investigated by KPK. KPK is even authorized to take over corruption case from other law enforcement agencies.
Police, however, said it would not hand over its suspects to KPK.
The recent announcement by police to withdraw 20 of its investigators being used by KPK added to conflicts between the two agencies.
Neta said the decision to withdraw the investigators was a police reaction to KPK`s "maneuver in involving" the military . The withdrawal would cripple KPK and would lead to open conflict between police and KPK, Neta said. ***1*** (AS/a014)
(T.SYS/A/H-ASG/A/A014) 18-09-2012 16:51:10
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
