Rizky Amelia – Suspects being investigated by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) will no longer find it easy to claim being ill and escape or delay investigations.

The KPK on Monday signed an agreement of cooperation over medical evaluation and second opinions on the conditions of witnesses, suspects and convicts with the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI).

"Suspects usually refer to the result of the medical assessment of their personal doctors and therefore we need second opinions," KPK chairman Abraham Samad said. "The IDI will provide the necessary specialists to provide second opinions." Abraham said people being interrogated as witnesses, suspects or convicts would sometimes pretend to be ill or collapse.

"The KPK is conscious that it needs a more objective explanation from experts in the medical field and therefore the KPK is cooperating with the IDI to have a better understanding of objective medical evaluations when facing cases like this," Abraham said.

Under the agreement, the IDI will provide the necessary specialists to conduct an examination of the witnesses, suspects or convicts.

IDI Chairman Priyo Sidipratomo said the cooperation would be at both the central level and the regional level. "IDI's assessment cannot be appealed," he said. "IDI determines it, and there should not be any further second opinion. They will be final."

Doctors who produce deceitful information will face IDI sanctions. Their practice license could be revoked for providing false medical information. "The IDI has the duty to guide and supervise," Priyo said. "The IDI also has the authority to issue sanctions, in the form of license revocations."

Many corruption suspects have used alleged health problems to avoid or delay the legal process.

In the latest case, former Cilegon mayor Aat Syafaat, who is suspected of corruption related to the construction of the Kubangsari port in Cilegon in 2010, had to be rushed to the hospital for what his lawyer alleged was a heart attack. It could not be independently verified that Aat had suffered a heart attack.

Nunun Nurbaeti, who was convicted of bribing lawmakers, argued she was suffering from bad health conditions, including memory loss, necessitating hospital treatment.