"Implicitly, the decision is embarrassing the head of the Police Headquaters` Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim)," Indonesia Police Watch (IPW) presidium chairman Neta S Pane said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono`s instruction to settle the alleged driving simulator corruption case is a blow to the national police, particularly police elite, a police watchdog activist said.

"Implicitly, the decision is embarrassing the head of the Police Headquaters` Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim)," Indonesia Police Watch (IPW) presidium chairman Neta S Pane said here on Monday night.

He said that the with president`s statement the National Police chief should evaluate the Bareskrim head position and hand over the investigation of all matters relating to the alleged corruption case in the procurement of driving simulators to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), including the suspects detained by police under the case.

Based on the president`s order, the Police chief should also soon investigate the police officer who ordered the besiege of the KPK office in an effort to pick up a KPK investigator, Novel Baswedan, he said.

"The president is of the view that the move by the police to besiege the KPK building on Friday night is not correct. The IPW appreciated the President`s firm attitude in resolving the conflict between the KPK and Police, so that the fight against corruption, particularly in the police institution, could be carried out by the KPK maximally," Neta said.

The relations between the KPK and the National Police became tense following the arrival of numerous police officers at the KPK building on Friday night, shortly after Insp. Gen. Djoko Susilo had undergone questioning over his alleged involvement in a driving simulator corruption case.

The police officers were trying to arrest one of the KPK investigators, namely police commissioner Novel Baswedan, who is alleged by the police to have committed a criminal act that caused the loss of life of a victim in Bengkulu province in 2004.

The attempt to arrest Baswedan and the withdrawal of 20 police from deputation to the KPK took place at a time when the anti-graft commission was investigating Susilo, the former chief of the National Traffic Police Corps and a suspect in the alleged driving simulator corruption case.

President Yudhoyono on Monday night ordered the settlement of the corruption case allegedly involving police inspector general Djoko Susilo by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

The order was issued at a press conference following a dispute between the two agencies over authority to tackle the case.

"The alleged corruption case in the procurement of driving simulators should be tackled by KPK and it must not be divided," he said.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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