Mahfud MD Asks Polemic on Basarnas Corruption Case to Be Stopped

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law, and Security Mahfud MD asked for the polemic of active TNI members' naming as corruption suspects by KPK to be stopped. The corruption eradication commission or KPK previously named national search and rescue (Basarnas) chief Air Marshal Henri Alfiandi and the coordinator of Basarnas Administration Staff, Lit. Col. Adm Afri Budi Cahyanto as suspects of corruption in Basarnas equipment procurement. 

But the suspect naming became a polemic as it was deemed to be beyond KPK’s authority. As a result, KPK deputy chief Johanis Tanak apologized and said that his side made a mistake.

"Even though it must be regretted, what has happened must not be in a long debate. What is important is to continue the law enforcement on the substance of the problem, which is the corruption," said Mahfud in a statement on Saturday, July 29.

Mahfud said that all parties are supposed to focus on the main problem and stop debating the procedural mistake. According to the minister, KPK has procedurally admitted its mistake and the TNI has also accepted the substance of the problem regarding the corruption allegation to be followed up based on the competency of the military justice.

"The important thing is the corruption case, the substance of which has been informed and coordinated beforehand with the TNI. This must be continued and resolved through the Military Court. Debates about this in the public should not cause the substance of the case to disappear so that it does not end up going to the Military Court," said Mahfud. 

KPK apologizes 

On Friday, July 28, KPK apologized for the suspect naming of two active TNI members in the graft case of Basarnas chief Air Marshal Henri Alfiandi. They admitted the mistake. KPK deputy chief Johanis Tanak regretted that his people made a mistake in the suspect naming against TNI members. 

"We understand that our investigators might have made a mistake and that if there is a problem with TNI must be handed to TNI, it’s not within KPK’s authority," Johanis said in a press conference in KPK.

Due to that matter, the KPK director of investigation, who is also the KPK Acting Deputy of execution, Asep Guntur Rahayu resigned from his position.

M JULNIS FIRMANSYAH

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