Yudhoyono to Speak on KPK-Police Conflicts

Jakarta - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will speak about the conflict between police and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Monday, an official said. Deputy Justice and Human Rights Minister Denny Indrayana said in a statement Yudhoyono decided to interfere after receiving reports about the growing tension between the two law enforcement agencies. A group of community leaders including academicians, law experts and human rightists have urged the president to step in to settle the conflict. They urged the president to fire police chief Gen. Timur Pradopo for failing to control his officers. The president has also been widely criticized for staying silent allowing police to interfere in corruption case being investigated by KPK. A KPK law rules that other law enforcement agencies including police and the attorney general office may not interfere in corruption case being investigated by KPK. The law even authorizes the anti graft agency to take over corruption case from other law enforcement agencies. Deny said in the statement on Saturday evening he was summoned by the president to explain about an incident on Friday evening when a group of police officers led by chief detective of the Bengkulu provincial police Sr. Comr. Dedy Rianto came to KPK to arrest a KPK investigator who is a police officer on loan to the agency. "I reported that last night's incident was a follow up of a many happenings including about the driving simulator case," he said. He said he also told the president that the KPK-police polemics were worse with the issue of attempt to weaken KPK with the plan to revise the KPK Law, the withdrawal of police investigators from KPK and attempt to arrest KPK investigator Comm.Novel Baswedan. Novel Baswedan is is a police officer on loan to KPK and he is among five officers not yet honored police summon to return to the force. Police have decided to withdraw 20 of their officers from KPK but five of them including Novel chose to stay with KPK. Novel is KPK's chief investigator of the driving simulator corruption case involving two police generals Ins. Gen. Djoko Susilo and Brig. Gen Didik Purnomo. "All those series of happenings are suspected of being an attempt to weaken KPK," Denny said. According to Denny the president already have many reports about the KPK-police row "It is time for me to explain to the people what we have done; that we will continue to work. Certainly I very much need KPK in the fight against corruption," Denny quoted the president as saying. Denny said the president asked him to help prepare a complete written materials including a solution. He said the president also suggested meeting between the police chief and the KPK chairman. The coordinating minister for security, law and political affairs is asked to facilitate the meeting, he said. The president also strongly rejected attempt to weaken KPK , Denny said.(*)