KPK at a news conference on Tuesday declared Comr Gen. Budi Gunawan, who, as a candidate, is to face the standard procedure of fit and proper test at the Parliament on Wednesday, a graft suspect.
"Shocked as the President has followed the issue (about Budi Gunawan having a suspiciously big bank account) since 2008 but so far there was no legal action (against him)," Cabinet Secretary Andi Widjajanto told reporters on Tuesday.
Andi said the president heard about the status of Budi Gunawan on the way to the office of the State Intelligence Office on Tuesday.
He said the president has asked Coordinating Minister for Law, Political Affairs and Security Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno as chairman of the National Police Commission (Kompolnas) to consider about it.
"Today Kompolnas is still discussing that issue and we are awaiting recommendations from Kompolnas," Andi said.
The president also has discussed with Vice President Jusuf Kalla about the step to be taken, he said.
In addition, the president has had contacts with the Commission III of the Parliament, police chief Gen. Sutarman and Budi Gunawan himself.
He said so far the process of naming Budi Gunawan as the candidate to replace outgoing police chief Gen. Sutarman has been in line with the procedure.
Minister at the State Secretariat Pratikno said after the KPK declared Budi a graft suspect there would certainly be a discussion.
Pratikno said based on the result of a discussion which is likely to be held on Tuesday night , there would be a presidential decision about the candidacy of Budi Gunawan.
"I think tonight or to morrow morning , there would a decision by the president," he said.
Budi Gunawan was one of a number of police generals reported to have suspiciously big account in 2010, but police after internal investigations said there was nothing illegal about the big accounts.
KPK said Budi Gunawan allegedly committed corruption when he was head of the Bureau of Career Development at the Police Headquarters in 2003-2006.
If found guilty Budi Gunawan is facing a maximum punishment of life imprisonment with a fine of up to Rp1 billion.
KPK chairman Abraham Samad told reporters earlier on Tuesday the agency had conducted investigation into the case of Budi Gunawan since July 2014 and finally KPK found that crime had been committed with more than two proofs.
(Uu.H-ASG/A014)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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