REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) must immediately settle Commissioner General Budi Gunawan's case, so that no more people will be held hostage due to their legal status, a chief minister stated here on Tuesday.
"He should not become a hostage. They said they already had evidence, and so, they should just prove it," Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno, the coordinating minister for political, security and legal affairs, said at his office.
President Joko Widodo recently decided to postpone the inauguration of Commissioner General Budi Gunawan despite the parliament's approval as the new national police chief after the KPK named him a corruption suspect.
Regarding President Joko Widodo's decision in connection with the case, Tedjo Edhy said he had taken a correct decision by respecting both the political process in the parliament and the legal process in the KPK.
"The name (of the candidate) has been given to the DPR (House of Representatives), and the DPR has approved it, and so, he must be inaugurated. We understand it, but we cannot do it. The president respects the legal process. We accepted him, but we had postponed his inauguration until the legal process is settled," he remarked.
The minister said Budi Gunawan's fate lies in the hands of the KPK, and therefore, the anti-graft body must now settle his case quickly, so that it would become clear. Moreover, Gunawan had expressed readiness to withdraw before the parliament after he was named defendant.
"We sent the ball back to the KPK. I do not know how long it will be there. However, as they already have the evidence, they may just prove it," he affirmed.
On the occasion, Attorney General H.M. Prasetyo stated that the KPK had, so far, always taken a certain time period before declaring the individual as a suspect. He cited the case of former religious affairs minister Suryadharma Ali, former State Audit Board chief Hadi Purnomo, and former minister of energy and mineral resources Jero Wacik.
They have all been named suspects, but they have remained so until now, he noted.
"Commissioner General Budi Gunawan was appointed as a national police chief candidate, but the day before, he faced a test at the parliament (he was named suspect). In view of that, (KPK) must immediately settle it, so that he will not be held hostage by his current legal status. Moreover, it was said that investigation has already been carried out since July 2014," he added.
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