Camelia Pasandaran – Seemingly unfazed by implied political threats, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) continued detaining former lawmakers in connection with the Rp 24 billion ($2.7 million) bribery scandal surrounding Miranda Goeltom's 2004 appointment to Bank Indonesia.

Budiningsih, from the Indonesian Democratic Party in Struggle (PDI-P), was quizzed for hours on Tuesday and later taken to the Pondok Bambu penitentiary.

She was not detained with 19 fellow politicians on Friday as she lived out of town. Her lawyer said that, since she lived in Solo, she could not leave her work.

Another suspect, Willem Tutuarima, also from PDI-P, was forcefully picked up despite his claim that he was suffering from a prostate disease.

"He has a doctor's letter ordering him to rest for three days," said Yanuar Wisesa, Willem's lawyer. "The KPK is overreacting," he continued, adding that the KPK should be held responsible if something bad happened to his client.

Andi Kurniawan, the lawyer of another suspect, Hengky Baramuli from the Golkar party, went to the KPK office because he said he heard the antigraft commission also planned to pick up his client on Tuesday.

"I said, 'What kind of law are they referring to by forcefully picking up someone who's ill?'" he said. "He's not going to run."

Andi claimed Hengky is suffering from heart disease and had recently had bypass surgery. "He shouldn't be scared this way. With his heart disease, something might happen."

Budingsih, Willem and Andi were three of the five suspects who were not brought in for questioning on Friday. Four of those five claimed they were sick.

The newly detained politicians raised the same issues brought up by those arrested on Friday. "The one who gave the bribes should be arrested first," Yanuar said. "The KPK seems to have an intimate relation with Nunun."

Nunun Nurbaeti Daradjatun, who is alleged to have funneled the bribe money to the lawmakers, has ignored several KPK summons. She is reportedly in Singapore, where her lawyer claims she is being treated for an illness that causes memory loss.

Miranda Goeltom, on the other hand, has been questioned several times by the KPK about the case but has not been named a suspect.

Sirra Prayuna, Budiningsih's lawyer, said it was important to find out the reason the money was given. "There is no rule that bans state officials from receiving something as long as it does not break the law. But until now, we do not know the real purpose of the one who gave the money."

KPK spokesman Johan Budi said the detentions were part of their investigation into the crime. "We will detain [Budiningsih] for the next 20 days," Johan said.