Polri (Indonesian National Police) is a law enforcement agency."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The fate of Commissioner General Budi Gunawan is now in the hands of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) that named him as a suspect in an alleged case of corruption.

To make the fate of the national police chief candidate clear, the anti-graft body should settle his legal case post haste, which would also help to prevent the polemic against his appointment from protracting.

Numerous parties have urged the KPK to speed up the legal process against Gunawan.

In a press statement, which was made available to Antara here on Tuesday (January 20), the Anti-Corruption People Movement (GMPK) appealed to the KPK to expedite the legal case against Gunawan, who was allegedly involved in suspicious transactions when he was the head of career development and the deputy for human resources during the period between 2003 and 2006 and also when he held other positions.

The KPK has charged him for violating several articles in the corruption law, which carries a jail sentence of four to 20 years or life imprisonment.

It was also revealed in the press statement that the fit and proper test conducted by the House of Representatives (DPR) on Gunawan was not a wise move and was carried out in a hurry.

According to the statement, the approval granted by the parliament to the proposed appointment of Budi Gunawan as the national police chief was ironic, considering the fact that the KPK had named him as a suspect.

Therefore, the GMPK rejected Gunawans nomination for the post and urged the anti-graft body to speed up investigation processes related to his alleged corruption case.

In addition, Ridha Adjam, a political observer from Khairun University in Ternate, North Maluku, has also pushed for the KPK to speed up its probe into the case.

"The KPK naming Gunawan as a suspect in an alleged corruption case after President Joko Widodo nominated him for the post of the police chief and the DPR later approving his candidacy has drawn criticism, which if not immediately quelled will cause a new problems," Adjam explained in Ternate on Tuesday.

He noted that the polemic related to Gunawans appointment as the police chief and his being named as a corruption suspect has been refracted from legal issues to political issues that have a detrimental effect on both law enforcement and political stability in Indonesia.

He also added that if the KPK could speed up the legal process, it would become clear whether he was guilty or not, and President Joko Widodos decision to induct him or cancel his candidacy could be accepted by the public.

"Polri (Indonesian National Police) is a law enforcement agency. So it would be unethical if the institution is headed by a person who holds the status of being corrupt. If it does happen, it would definitely reflect badly on efforts to eradicate corruption in Indonesia," he remarked.

Furthermore, Coordinating Minister for Political, Security and Legal Affairs Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno said here on Tuesday that the KPK should settle Gunawans case post haste.

Purdijatno pointed out that the anti-graft body must expedite the probe lest anyone becomes a hostage to the delay in any ongoing investigation.

"No one should become a hostage (to such delay). Since they claim they already have evidence, they should now just prove it," the minister remarked.

President Joko Widodo recently decided to postpone the inauguration of Commissioner General Budi Gunawan, despite the parliament having granted approval to appoint him as the new national police chief after the KPK named him as a corruption suspect.

With regard to the presidents decision in connection with the case, Purdijatno stated that he had made the right decision by respecting both the political process in the parliament and the legal process in the KPK.

"As the name of the candidate proposed to the House of Representatives was granted approval, he must be inaugurated. While we understand that, we cannot go ahead with it. The president respects the legal process. We accepted him but have postponed his inauguration, until the legal case against him is settled," he affirmed.

The minister also pointed out that Gunawans fate now lay in the hands of the KPK and that the anti-graft body must settle his case soon for clarity.

Moreover, Gunawan had expressed his readiness to withdraw his candidacy before the parliament after he was named a defendant.

"We left it to the KPK to decide. I do not know how long it will take. However, as they claim to already have evidence, they should just prove it," he observed.

According to Attorney General H. M. Prasetyo, the KPK had, so far, always taken considerable amount of time to investigate after declaring an individual as a suspect.

He cited the case that involved former religious affairs minister Suryadharma Ali, former state audit board chief Hadi Purnomo, and former minister of energy and mineral resources Jero Wacik.

They were all named suspects and remain so till date, he noted.
(Uu.O001/INE/KR-BSR/A014)

Reporter: Otniel Tamindael
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2015