Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has decided to let the Judicial Mafia Taskforce finish its work, despite claims that the presidential special unit has politicized the case of graft convict Gayus Tambunan, Yudhoyono's spokesman says.

Presidential spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha said on Monday that Yudhoyono had decided to let the taskforce work until the end of its previously established term on Dec. 30, 2011.

Yudhoyono still believed the taskforce was helping the nation's law enforcement institutions to eradicate racketeering and corruption, Julian said.

Julian added the taskforce was an ad hoc body that could be dissolved whenever it was considered superfluous. "Whenever law enforcement officers meet public expectations, the taskforce can be dismissed," he said as quoted by Antara news agency.

Yudhoyono established the taskforce on Dec. 30, 2009 by a presidential decree that stipulated a two-year term for the body.

Julian previously said that Yudhoyono was shocked and upset by comments made by Gayus on Wednesday shortly after the former low-level tax official was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment for corruption.

Gayus alleged that taskforce members had politicized his case and that taskforce secretary Denny Indrayana had intimidated his wife, Milana Anggraeni.

"Denny kept pushing my wife to admit that I had met Ical in Bali even though she had refused to comment," Gayus said, referring to Golkar Party chairman Aburizal Bakrie.

Although the taskforce denied Gayus' allegations, it has subsequently come under fire from Golkar Party politicians. Golkar legislator Bambang Soesatyo urged Yudhoyono to disband the taskforce despite the President's claim that the body was still necessary.

"The taskforce has clearly betrayed the President's mandate. Instead of eradicating the [judicial] mafia and corruption, it has politicized Gayus' case and cornered our chairman and defamed the Golkar Party," he said.

Setara Institute of Democracy and Peace chairman Hendardi said the public had begun to lose trust in the taskforce. "The taskforce has no clear legal standing," he said in a statement.

Attorney Hotma Sitompul, who is representing Gayus and Milana, said the public should support the taskforce. "I agree with the President. People should support the taskforce as an institution but not its culprits," he told detik.com news portal.