Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – The Judicial Mafia Taskforce will continue its efforts to battle graft in the judiciary despite criticism from politicians who called it redundant and accused it of partiality.
Taskforce member Mas Achmad Santosa said Thursday that a working meeting held at the Bogor Presidential Palace from Dec. 21 to 23 to evaluate the taskforce's performance in its first year concluded that a special body was still necessary to help the government eradicate widespread judicial graft.
"The head of all law enforcement bodies expressed support for the taskforce and for the national agenda to eradicate case brokers and corruption in general," Mas Achmad said.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono established the taskforce in December 2009 through a presidential decree, which stated that the taskforce's working period was two year, meaning its mandate ends in December 2011.
Mas Achmad said the taskforce would finish its mandated working period successfully, although he acknowledged it had many critics.
"Every panelist at the meeting has suggested improvements, but they still support our role. The suggestions from this meeting will be used in our internal evaluation to create the taskforce's working program for 2011," he said.
The meeting was attended by all members of the taskforce along with Supreme Court chief justice Harifin A. Tumpa, Corruption Eradication Commission chairman Busyro Muqoddas, Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Djoko Suyanto, Justice and Human Rights Minister Patrialis Akbar, National Police chief Gen. Timur Pradopo, Attorney General Basrief Arief and the chairman of the House of Representatives' legal commission, Benny K Harman.
The taskforce has not been without its critics. Golkar Party legislator Bambang Soesatyo issued repeated calls for the taskforce to be dissolved saying it was used as a political tool.
"The taskforce played a major role in the investigation into [graft suspect] Gayus Tambunan. It has driven public opinion against [Golkar chairman Aburizal] Bakrie and Golkar," he said.
Former tax official Gayus admitted at his trial that he received Rp 28 billion (US$3.11 million) in bribes from three mining companies partly owned by the Bakrie family.
Bambang accused the taskforce of not being an independent body, saying it was used as a political tool to attack Golkar. "Gayus has amassed more than Rp 100 billion from corporate taxpayers, why have only the Bakrie companies been named?" he said.
United Development Party (PPP) legislator Ahmad Yani said the legal basis to form the taskforce was unclear. "It has no clear authority in terms of legal matters. Law enforcement institutions are usually formed under the law, but the taskforce was established by decree," he said.
In June, activists calling themselves Petition 28 filed a judicial review request with the Supreme Court challenging the presidential decree on the taskforce. The activists accused the taskforce of being nothing more than a tool to polish the President's image. The Court overturned the request.
Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) activist Emerson Yuntho said the taskforce was still needed to bolster the fight against case brokers since prosecutors and police were not making any significant progress.
However, he acknowledged the taskforce had not produced any breakthroughs. "The taskforce was formed with high expectations, but it's sort of fizzled out now," he said.