REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - A group of community leaders have urged President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to step in to settle conflicts between police and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). Spokesman of the group, law expert Saldi Isra, said the president was also urged to fire police chief Gen. Timur Pradopo for failing to control his officers. 

The group also included rector of the Paramadina Institute Anies Baswedan, human rightists Usman Hamid and Haris Azhar urged the president to "take over the command before things getting worse." They called on the people to join in giving support for KPK and to rid police of corruption.

The group came to KPK office to give moral support for KPK after Sr. Comr. Dedi Irianto, the general criminal director of the Bengkulu police came to KPK on Friday evening with an order to arrest Novel Baswedan, a KPK investigator on a criminal charge. Novel is one of five police officers on loan to KPK choosing to stay with KPK after police order their return.

Police, which have been at loggerheads with KPK have ordered the return of 20 of their investigators from KPK. The officers are free to choose between staying with KPK or returning back to the police corps.

Dedy said the case of Novel was purely criminal shooting six suspects killing one on charge of stealing swallow bird nest when he was chief detective in Bengkulu in 2004. KPK, however, rejected the arrest attempt saying police have sought to criminalize KPK.

KPK named four suspects in the 198 billion IDR case including two police generals -- former chief of the traffic corps Ins.Gen. Djoko Susilo and his deputy Brig. Gen. Didik Purnomo. 

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