Associated Press in Jakarta – Corruption in Indonesia's law courts is so deeply ingrained that it might take more than two decades to purge them of graft, the newly installed attorney general was quoted as saying by newspapers on Wednesday.

"It is difficult to combat the court mafia as it involves lawyers, judges, prosecutors and police," said Baharudin Lopa. "All of these bureaucratic elements seem to support such evil practices." Known for his tough stance against corruption, Mr Lopa was sworn in as the new attorney general on Tuesday after the former top prosecutor failed to clamp down on graft.

Mr Lopa, however, denied speculation that he would use his new position to investigate alleged corrupt business deals by embattled President Abdurrahman Wahid's political rivals.

Mr Wahid has himself been accused of corruption. In August, the nation's top legislature will start impeachment proceedings against him to review those allegations – which he vehemently denies – and separate charges of incompetence.

Mr Lopa said lawyers in Indonesia often forwarded bribes from their clients to prosecutors and judges to win cases, The Jakarta Post newspaper reported.

Corruption within the Indonesia's courts and bureaucracy fostered under former dictator Suharto, who ruled Indonesia for 32 years before being forced from office in 1998. Mr Wahid came to power in October, 1999 promising to eradicate graft. However some foreign investors and analysts say the problem has deteriorated since then as the formerly controlled system of kickbacks broke down and a weak central government could do little to eliminate it.