Abdul Khalik and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – A police decision to investigate members of two political parties opposed to the government's policy of importing rice from Vietnam was slammed by lawmakers Tuesday.

Calling the move anti-democratic and an attempt to criminalize the political process, House of Representatives leaders warned police that they had overstepped their authority.

Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Firman Gani said there were two reasons why his office had launched a probe into legislators from the opposition Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS).

"Firstly, someone has filed a report to us that a criminal act was committed... so we have to follow up this report. Secondly, we have received direct orders from National Police Headquarters (to probe the case)," he said.

Firman refused to elaborate on the police investigation, saying the National Police would provide more information. If police were investigating the legislators then there was evidence of a criminal act, he said.

Last Friday, the Jakarta Police security intelligence directorate sent two officers – Brig. Saenal and Brig. Yuliono – to the House to question Tamsil Linrung of the PKS. Tamsil leads a PDI-P/PKS team set up to investigate the rice import plan. The officers did not meet Tamsil because he was attending a meeting on the subject at the nearby Mulia Hotel.

Saenal and Yuliono along with three other officers – Comr. Effendi Sirait, Brig. Edi Prebuan and First Brig. Ekhan Windiarto – were assigned to investigate the case in a letter signed by Jakarta Police director of security intelligence Sr. Comr. Handoko on Jan. 30.

The letter, copies of which were released to the media, stated that the investigation was launched in order for "police to anticipate a public security and order situation".

It ordered the five intelligence officers to "collect data and information" on the plan by the PDI-P and PKS to further probe the government's rice import policy, following the two parties' defeat in a recent House vote on the issue.

Last month, the House voted against an opposition resolution to investigate the government's plan to import 110,000 tons of rice from Vietnam.

Legislator Alvin Lie of the National Mandate Party tabled the Handoko's letter at a House plenary meeting Tuesday. He said the police's plan violated the principles of democracy. "The political process in the House is in accordance with the Constitution and laws," he told the session.

House disciplinary committee head Slamet Effendi Yusuf said there was no justification for police to investigate legislators who were just doing their jobs. "What is this (investigation) for? They have committed no crime whatsoever. Legislators are free to exercise their rights, which are guaranteed under the Constitution. The police must stay away from this," the senior Golkar Party politician said.

The PKS demanded the Jakarta Police explain the purpose of the investigation. "It constitutes contempt of parliament. We obviously oppose it. It's a systematic effort to intimidate the House and destroy the democratic process," Commission III for legal affairs deputy chairman Almuzammil Yusuf said.

The government plans to import the rice to protect national supplies and keep prices under control. The State Logistics Agency, which controls the nation's rice stocks, has been the subject of a series of graft scandals over recent years, involving top-ranking politicians.