GOVT ASKS PUBLIC NOT TO POLITICIZE KPK'S SPAT WITH POLICE

Jakarta, Sept 15 (ANTARA) - The government has called on the public not to politicize the ongoing questioning of Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) leaders by the police in connection with complaints from suspended KPK chairman Antasari Azhar.

Minister/State Secretary Hatta Radjasa said here on Tuesday the government was against any effort aimed at reducing the authority of KPK and other law enforcing agencies dealing with corruption eradication.

"We hope all problems are responded to proportionately and not being politicized because we want the institutions to be strong. KPK may not be undermined. No one in the government or in the country wishes to undermine the KPK," he said.

He said the President had from the beginning never interfered in matters of law enforcement.

"The President wants our institutions to be strong and authoritative both KPK, the police and the prosecutor's office, and also effective in fighting corruption. So the head of state's directives did not cover details on why A was being interrogated. What is banned is power abuse," he said.

When asked if the President would exclusively summon KPK and police leaders to defuse the tension between the two institutions, Hatta said so far there was no schedule for such an initiative.

"I have said many times that corruption eradication and law enforcement are important missions to be implemented by the future SBY-Boediono administration and therefore we want the law enforcing institutions to be strong," he said.

On the bill on corruption crime court Hatta said that the government's stance had been clearly manifested in the draft law it had submitted including the importance of KPK to have an authority of bugging telephone calls for the purpose of investigation.