Jakarta – Legislators in the House of Representatives said Monday the National Police had performed well under the leadership of Gen. Sutanto, but not well enough.
The police must have more power when dealing with corruption involving high-ranking state officials, legislators said during Gen. Sutanto's hearing with the House's Commission III, which oversees legal issues, human rights and security.
"The police are good when combating gambling, drug trafficking and prostitution. But they are weak when faced with corruption cases," deputy commission chairman Al-Muzammil Yusuf said.
"We believe corruption cases are tough ones because many high-ranking officials are involved," added Yusuf, a member of the Prosperous Justice Party.
He cited the case of North Sumatra Governor Rudolf Pardede, who was charged in 2005 with allegedly falsifying his high school diploma. The case has not been finalized due to a disagreement between the police and the Attorney's General Office (AGO). Rudolf remains in office.
"(The Rudolf case) is proof of the lack of coordination among state agencies," Yusuf said.
Yusuf said this lack of coordination was also apparent when Gen. Sutanto placed former top National Police detective Comr. Gen. Suyitno Landung Sudjono at the Mobile Brigade detention center in Kelapa Dua, Depok, instead of at the Cipinang penitentiary, East Jakarta, on claims it was "for Suyitno's own safety".
Meanwhile, Justice and Human Rights Minister Hamid Awaluddin said the decision to move Suyitno was not due to security concerns, but to overcrowding at Cipinang prison.
Suyitno was sentenced to 18 months in prison and fined Rp 50 million (US$5,510) after being found guilty of receiving a Nissan X-Trail sports utility vehicle from Adrian Waworuntu, while investigating him over the 2003 BNI bank lending scam.
Commission member Gayus Lumbuun added that the police must give its intelligence division stronger authority, comparable to the AGO's intelligence department, in order to tackle crime. He said most cases involving big-time criminals were only following up information from intelligence agencies.
"Former director of state run oil and gas company Pertamina, Tabrani Ismail, was an AGO fugitive and was finally recaptured by its intelligence department," cited Gayus, a member of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).
Tabrani was convicted for corruption relating to a Pertamina export-oriented refinery project and sentenced to six years jail, with a fine of Rp 30 million. He caused losses to the state of US$189.58 million.
Tabrani had been a fugitive since August 2006 and was caught last week.
Meanwhile, a member of the National Mandate Party, Azlaini Agus, criticized the National Police for being selective in arresting illegal logging suspects.
"Why do police only arrest those who drive trucks carrying logs, but not the ones who mastermind the logging?" she asked. She suggested the police develop legal procedures for investigating illegal logging cases.