The case of (temporarily non-active) Attorney General, Lt. General Ghalib, is increasingly slipping from the rails of justice as political elements tend to appear on the surface. Cancellation of the Central Command Military Police, Major General Djasri Marin, who decided to make a suspect of Ghalib in the corruption case, indicates that a conspiracy is going on to save the good name of the military corps from corruption charges.
"It is bound to happen, since Djasri and Ghalib are both top military officers. The more so, as they just had a meeting with the Minister Defence and Security/Commander Armed Forces," the Coordinator Legal Bureau for Total Reformation Supervision, Dindin S. Maolani told the press during a Restricted Discussion related to the Finalisation of Suspected KKN practises of former President Soeharto and his cronies as well as President BJ Habibie's responsibility at the Savoy Homan Hotel on Friday (9/7) in Bandung.
Defence and Security Minister/Commander Armed Forces General Wiranto, stressed at the military staff meeting on Thursday that the Ghalib case was not at all brought up. Wiranto said, about his meeting with Ghalib and Djasri that Ghalib has been put on non-active duty.
"For the time being he is not going to function as Attorney General, he will report to me periodically about his activities. I will also give him instructions for the time being," Wiranto said.
"There is no inkling of a figure with a legal problem," said Wiranto. Ghalib's case is a matter for the Military Police, he said. "I have given the Military Police full authority. We believe in delegating full authority to officials in function. If investigations are completed, the Military Police Commander will report to me," Wiranto said.
Meanwhile the Deputy Chief Information Services of Defence and Security, Brigadier General Sudradjat, underlined his commitment and his consistency as a military leader to entirely wipe off the Andi Ghalib corruption case in line with the Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW).
"The Defence Minister/Armed Forces Commander, General Wiranto, is still committed to the solution of the case," said the Deputy Information Chief in reply to questions from reporters at Military Headquarters on Jl. Merdeka Barat, Central Jakarta, Friday , as quoted by Antara.
Few commitments
The Coordinator of the Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW), Teten Masduki and ICW defender, Iskandar Sonhaji, who were met after hearing out the Special Committee for the KKN drafts said that the withdrawal of the Military Police's letter to the Police which had repeatedly withdrawn Ghalib's status of suspect and lack of government's commitments to finalise the Ghalib case. This case could not possibly be finalised without further investigations. Links leading to the Ghalib case have to be decided by the Justice Minister and Minister Defence in a letter of decision.
While the Chairman of the Special Committee for KKN Drafts, Agus Muhidin, admitted his confusion about the Ghalib case. For this reason, his department will forward a question through Commission I about the matter.
National Commission of Human Rights (HAM) member, Benjamin Mangkoedilaga, said that withdrawal of the Military Police letter would not pose a problem when observed from a legal aspect. "If it is still with the Papera (case officer), what can we do," he said. When viewed from a public sense of justice, he said, there seemed to be an overlapping problem. "Whatever might happen, it has become the focus of the people," he said.
Military corps
Dindin added, if investigation of the Ghalib case would be done by the military police, its commander would be suffering a psychological snag. In the hierarchy Ghalib ranks a Lt. General, a grade higher than Djasri who is Major General.
"As long as this method is being used, powers of the Military Police Commander to charge Ghalib as a suspect will always clash against politics. The Military Police Commander could be leaving the impression as to leave the whole problem to the Military Prosecuting Officer. While the first party entitled to clink Ghalib as a suspect should be the Military Police Commander," Dindin said.
Dindin stated that he was of the same opinion at the discussion if the letter of the Military Police to the Police, and to be forwarded to the Governor Bank Indonesia since it dealt with the Ghalib case, has been retrieved from circulation for reasons of wrong addressing.
"I agree with that. The letter addressed to Police Headquarters was not right. It should have gone to the Military Prosecuting Officer," he said.
Change of address does not imply a change into Ghalib's status of suspect. "Address correction on a letter does not mean a change into the suspect's status. If he is a suspect, he'd still be a suspect," Didin said.