Jakarta – Legal and political analysts are calling on law enforcers to investigate graft allegations against Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo's administration, as stated in a book authored by his own deputy Prijanto.
Yenti Garnasih, a legal expert from Jakarta-based Trisakti University, said that setting aside any political motives behind Prijanto's book, the allegations he made were by no means lightweight.
"These are allegations made against the administration responsible for our nation's capital, published in a book for the public's eyes to see," Yenti said in a discussion of the book in Central Jakarta on Wednesday.
"If law enforcers do nothing about the allegations, it will mean that they are approving the vilification of a state institution," she said.
Prijanto, in his book Kenapa Saya Mundur dari Wagub DKI Jakarta (Why I Resigned from Jakarta Deputy Governor Post), details a number of conflicts and disagreements he had with the governor.
The deputy governor printed and distributed the book himself late last year, before publishing company PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama agreed to print and distribute it earlier this year.
The book came after his attempt to resign from his post was denied by the City Council. Prijanto tendered his resignation in December, only seven months before the gubernatorial election and 10 months before his end of term.
His resignation was the culmination of several years' worth of rumors concerning a political rift between Fauzi and his running mate in the 2007 election.
In February, Prijanto accompanied a graft activist filing reports and the parts of his book containing graft allegations against Fauzi at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).
The report, he said, contained data and evidence of corruption allegedly orchestrated by Fauzi.
Prijanto claims Fauzi ignored a report of possible extortion and corruption involving social shelters in February 2011 and that the governor approved special allowances for top administration officials in May 2009, which Prijanto said some might consider "legalized corruption".
In the same discussion, Boni Hargens, a political analyst from the University of Indonesia, said he applauded Prijanto's move but regretted how the deputy governor had not been direct with his allegations.
"Why not directly challenge Fauzi and report him to the law enforcers? Why the book?" said Boni, who also observed that the timing of the book along with Prijanto's resignation meant that it was hard to not identify political undertones.