Attorney general attempts to reform a tarnished AGO

Attorney General Hendarman Supandji is desperately trying to reform his institution, severely tarnished by recent corruption scandals, and has gone as far as pleading with the House of Representatives to assist him.

“It is not an easy task to reform the Attorney General’s Office. I am aware of the existence of case brokers, extortion scandals and so forth. I am honestly very concerned,” he told legislators during a hearing with the House Commission III on legal affairs in Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday.

“However, I need help. I am not reforming 10 people, but 20,000."

Hendarman also said that he never wanted to become the attorney general.

“I wanted to be a notary. It never even crossed by mind to become attorney general. However, God has made me one so I have to do it."

Hendarman also complained about his job, saying it caused him stress as he did not have enough time for his family.

“I work 15 hours a day. I don’t have time to go to the mall, or hang out. Why would I want this job if not for my wish to serve the nation?”

In previous hearings, Hendarman also asked legislators to allocate Rp 10 trillion (US$1 billion) to the AGO, claiming that increasing the welfare of prosecutors would make it easier to reform the institution.

The latest blow to hit the AGO was the revelation of a tape detailing an alleged conspiracy between a number of high-ranking officials at the AGO and the National Police, to weaken the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) by framing two antigraft body deputy chairmen, Chandra M. Hamzah and Bibit Samad Rianto. The revelation has sparked public outrage, with demands mounting for Hendarman and National Police chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri to resign.

Previously, one of the AGO’s senior prosecutors, Urip Tri Gunawan, was sentenced to 20 years in prison, following his involvement in a Rp 6 billion bribery scandal.

Separately, the coordinator of the National Legal Reform Consortium (KRHN), Firmansyah Arifin, told The Jakarta Post that Hendarman was only replaying his old excuses.

“Those excuses have already been given far too many times, but we have yet to see any significant improvement,” he said.

“The AGO should also improve its performance before requesting a larger budget allocation,” he added.