Indonesia's president concerns on growing opinion on detention of anti-graft body's leaders: minister

Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono expressed his concern on growing opinion in pubic following detention of two anti-graft body's leaders, detikcom quoted a minister as saying here on Friday.

The opinion, said the president as quoted by the Minister of Information and Informatics Tifatul Sembiring, triggered a prejudice that the government has acted unfairly whereas the detention is in line with the legal process.

"The president has just said that he was concerned to the growing opinion as if the government took unfair stance to other people, whereas if the police detain somebody, it's just the beginning of a legal process and it doesn't mean that verdict is issued," said Tifatul.

That's why the president urged people to honor ongoing legal process, according to Tifatul.

He also said that the National Police's chief Bambang Hendarso Danuri has reported to President Yudhoyono that investigation against the anti-graft body's leaders has been entered the fourth month.

"The police conducted the detention to smoothen investigation," said Tifatul.

Police on Thursday arrested Bibit Slamet Riyanto and Chandra Hamzah, two of five KPK chairmen accused of misusing their authorities and committed corruption.

Support for the two detained leaders of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) grows as a minister, a member of parliament, a former the Upper House's speaker and thousands of people voiced their support, detikcom reported here on Friday.

The Minister for Telecommunication and Informatics Tifatul Sembiring said on Friday that he supported the two KPK's leaders.

Tifatul said that the detention is a sensitive issue but he stressed that the most important thing is that the legal procedure should be conducted properly, instead of triggering a new dispute.

Hidayat Nur Wahid, the former Upper House's speaker, said that he had appreciated public figures who urged police to release the two KPK's leaders.

Hidayat also said that he guaranteed that Bibit and Chandra would not flee the country.

Teguh Juwarno, a member of parliament from People's Mandate Party, criticized the police for the detention.

"The detention against Bibit-Chandra showed that the police are arrogant and do not pay attention on justice," said Teguh.

The deputy chief of the Investigation and Crime Unit Inspector General Dikdik Mulyana Aries Mansur said that the detention was in line with the existing law, to prevent them from concealing evidence or attempting to escape from justice while the investigation against them is underway.

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