President Chairs Cabinet Meeting On Team Of Eight’s Recommendations

Jakarta ( Berita ) :  President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at his office here on Wednesday chaired a limited cabinet meeting to discuss the recommendations presented by the Team of Eight.

The meeting was attended by among others National Police Chief General Bambang Hendarso Danuri, Attorney General Hendarman Supanji, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto, Economic Affairs Minister Hatta Radjasa, People’s Welfare Minister Agung Laksono, Minister/State Secretary Sudi Silalahi, Law and Human Rights Minister Patrialis Akbar, Home Affairs Minister  Gamawan Fauzi, Communication and Informatics Minister Tifatul Sembiring, Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa, and Chief of the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) Sutanto.

Prior to attending the meeting with the President, the Police Chief and the Attorney General  were present at a hearing with the Commission III of the House of Representatives (DPR).

They refused to comment on the Team of Eight’s recommendations as they had not received the document from the head of state.

Yudhoyono is expected to present the recommendations to the police chief and the attorney general and to give them two days to learn about the document.

The president will announce to the public on steps to be taken to follow up the recommendations on Monday (Nov. 23).

In its report to the President, the team charged with verifying legal processes of the controversial case of anti graft officials,  presented four conclusions, namely regarding the legal process of anti graft officials Bibit Samad Riyanto and Chandra M Hamzah, professionalism of police investigators and prosecutors, case brokers and institutional reform.

The team has called for the dismissal of officials responsible for the legal process of the case and a reform in the police force and the attorney general office.

The team has also asked the President to continue reform efforts and repositioning of personnel in the police force, the attorney general office, the Corruption Eradication Commission and the agency for the protection of witnesses and victims without necessarily hurting the institutions’ independence. ( ant )