Agus Triyono & Rangga Prakoso – Law enforcement institutions were unanimous on Wednesday in denying accusations by a noted lawyer that they were protecting their own by ignoring a money laundering watchdog's reports of suspicious transactions.
Lawyer Adnan Buyung Nasution said law enforcers were not addressing recent reports by the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) concerning members within their own ranks.
"What's the point of the PPATK announcing these [suspicions] if they aren't followed up?" Adnan told journalists at the Constitutional Court. "The PPATK has worked hard, but the results of its work are unused. I feel sorry for [the investigators]," he added.
During a hearing last week with House of Representatives Commission III overseeing legal affairs, PPATK chairman Muhammad Yusuf announced that the agency had identified at least 1,890 suspicious transactions involving law enforcers. That included police officers, prosecutors, judges and employees of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).
National Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Boy Rafli Amar denied the police were ignoring the reports. "We investigate all suspicious transactions and the results are reported back to the PPATK," Boy said.
Not all of the transactions have indications of criminal activity, he said. And for any that do, he said, the investigation would be stepped up and possible charges prepared.
He could not say, however, how many transactions were being investigated in such a manner. Looking into the reports takes time, he added, since the officials in question aren't necessarily in Jakarta. "We need to coordinate with the regional police," he said.
Attorney General Basrief Arief also denied his institution was ignoring the reports, saying they were being looked at. He emphasized that the reports were state secrets and should not be made public.
"Only I myself open [the reports], and after reading them I close them and lock them up. Any instruction I issue is investigated in secret," Basrief said, adding that even his secretary could not access the reports.
KPK spokesman Johan Budi said that not every suspicious transaction had indications that corruption was involved.
"Therefore, not all of those reports were continued on to the investigation stage," he said. "We have to select the reports." He said the KPK always followed up reports from the PPATK and many had been investigated. "I cannot identify them one by one because they number so many," Johan said.
On Monday, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was quoted by Cabinet Secretary Dipo Alam as saying he wanted all suspicious transactions involving his ministers to be investigated.
Dipo said the presidential office had not yet received the PPATK information alleging suspicious transactions involving ministers, but added that a legal process was already under way.