TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Acting spokesman of Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Ali Fikri said an issue on the obstruction of justice allegedly committed by Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly in the graft case of Harun Masiku needed to be explored.

"It requires further examination, deeper analysis related to the violation of Article 21. Besides, the Immigration Office states it will inspect whether there is a deliberate factor regarding the unrecorded information on the return of suspect Harun from Singapore," Ali said at the KPK Merah Putih Building on Thursday, January 23.

He made the statement in response to the report of the anti-corruption civil society coalition saying that Yasonna violated Article 21 of the Corruption Law No. 31/1999 in conjunction with Law No. 20/2001 on the obstruction of justice.

The anti-corruption civil society coalition previously voiced their suspicion that the minister did not provide true information regarding Harun’s whereabouts.

“He [Yasonna] said Harun left Indonesia on January 6, and there was no data about his return to Indonesia,” said the researcher of Indonesia Corruption Watch Kurnia Ramadhana at the KPK Merah Putih Building on Thursday.

Kurnia even said that Tempo revealed the return of Harun Masiku on January 7 but that was not followed up by the Ministry of Law and Human Rights.

"Because this is already under investigation per January 9, KPK should have no obstacle to examine Yasonna Laoly on charges with Article 21," Kurnia added.

HALIDA BUNGA