TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Law and human rights office Lokataru Foundation has slammed the recent denial and attacks against the Indonesialeaks report on the scandal of obstruction of justice allegedly committed by two police officers assigned to the Corruption Eradication Commission in a graft case implicating meat importer Basuki Hariman and Constitutional Court justice Patrialis Akbar.
According to Lokataru, the denial and attacks on the Indonesialeaks report have undermined the Jokowi administration’s effort to encourage public participation against corruption.
In a press release Tempo received on Monday, Lokataru said it lamented the fact that brutal accusations against the report had been made not only by the police, but also politicians and public figures alike—including Setara chairman Hendardi and former MK chief justice Mahfud MD, who said the investigative report was a hoax and allegedly linked to Ratna Sarumpaet’s arrest.
Read: Police Run External Investigation into Indonesialeaks Findings
Lokataru said the attacks and the unfair accusations against the Indonesialeaks report, which was released only two days before President Jokowi’s new whistle-blower policy was announced, might prompt the public to question the government’s commitment to combating corrupt behaviors, and that whistle blowers will remain unprotected and susceptible to acts of abusive criminalization.
Lokataru added these actions would also jeopardize the future of investigative journalism activities and a setback against the press freedom.
Lokataru said the KPK’s reluctance to look into the case would tarnish the agency’s record and illustrates their fading values: zero tolerance to corruption. Thus, Lokataru urged the KPK to take immediate action against the suspects under the article of obstruction of justice. It also demanded President Jokowi establish an investigative team to probe the suspected involvement of Police Chief Gen. Tito Karnavian in the case.
TEMPO
