"KPK has no intention of insulting the honorable DPR. KPK only wants to act in line with the MD3 Law and KPK Law," Deputy Chairman of KPK Laode M Syarif said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Deputy Chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Laode M Syarif said KPK has no intention of being not respectful to the House of Representatives over its refusal to bring Miryam S Haryani to a meeting of the House Special Committee for Inquiry Right.

"KPK has no intention of insulting the honorable DPR. KPK only wants to act in line with the MD3 Law and KPK Law," Syarif said here on Tuesday.

In addition, KPK wanted to remind the House that summoning a suspect or a detainee, who are being investigated by KPK is an obstruction of justice, he said.

"As legal process may not be confused with political process and the substance is illegal as said by the majority of experts in constitutional law and law on state administration," he said.

Earlier KPK said it would not allow Miryam S Haryani to attend a meeting of Pansus against the request of the Pansus for Inquiry Right on KPK.

Miryam is under detention by KPK for allegedly giving false testimony related to electronic ID card procurement corruption case, which implicates many lawmakers and former lawmakers.

KPK also questioned the legality of the Pansus as its establishment was not fully in line with the procedure. Pansus was established after KPK refused to hand over to the House Commission III recorded process of Miryani investigation , and it was approved without hearing the opinions of all factions.

"We have not been quite clear with the Pansus for the House Inquiry Right," Febri said.

The Pansus has summoned Miryam to be present at its meeting on Monday but KPK refused to hand over Miryam and kept her in detention cell. The Pansus then decided to send it second summon. Failing with the first summon, the Pansus decided to send a second summon with a threat to use force by asking police to bring Miryam to its next meeting.

However, Police Chief General Tito Karnavian has said police have studied the request and he cited legal barrier prohibiting police from doing in line with the House request .

KPK spokesman Febri Diansyah said earlier on Tuesday, KPK would not allow the presence of Miryam (in the Pansus meeting) as she is still facing legal process and her case would soon be brought to court.

Febri said KPK respect the constitutional right of the House but KPK also needs to ensure not to take a wrong step.

"KPK would not want and may not break the law. We do not want to confuse legal affairs with political issue," he said.

Miryam has been in KPK detention since May 1, 2017 after she was named a suspect on charge of giving false testimony at court.

She withdrew the statements in her dossiers telling the court that she was forced by KPK investigators into giving the statement . CCTV , however, showed there was no sign of force being used by KPK investigators.

Senior KPK investigator Novel Baswedan even said that Miryam told her investigators that she was intimidated by a number of House Commission III lawmakers seeking to force her not to disclose the name of lawmakers receiving share of embezzled money from the e-ID card procurement project.

The lawmakers included chairman of the House Commission III Bambang Soesatyo, deputy chairman of the Commission III Desmond Junaidi Mahesa, and Commission III members Sarifuddin Suding, and Masinton Pasaribu.

KPK also questioned the legality of the Pansus saying it was formed not fully following the procedure.

Even law experts have said that the Pansus had been formed more on political motive. The House law inquiry right should be focused only on important and strategic issue of interest to the public in general, not routine matter, they said.

"The issue raised by Pansus over Miryam that she was forced by her investigators, was an ordinary case. It is not a big issue that requires the use of inquiry right," former Chief Justice Mahfud MD has said.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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