REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Civil Society Coalition comprising NGOs such as Indonesia Corruption Watch and Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence has urged President Joko Widodo to act in favor of anti-graft body KPK.

In a press statement issued here on Friday, the Civil Society Coalition has asked President Joko Widodo to intervene and stop all attempts to weaken KPK (Corruption Eradication Commission).

According to the Civil Society Coalition, the arrest of KPK commissioner Bambang Widjojanto has been an act of resistance in response to KPK's naming of Commissioner General Budi Gunawan in a graft case.

The Coalition considers the police's resistance against KPK as an attempt to obstruct law enforcement and corruption eradication.

The Coalition has asked President Joko Widodo to take suitable action to save KPK from all forms of resistance and weakening efforts.

Drawing the President's attention to a 2010 incident, the Coalition said a friction was created between the Police and KPK when two of its leaders were criminalized by the Police. The incident had paralyzed KPK's functioning.

Earlier, the Police named Deputy Chairman of KPK Bambang Widjojanto suspect in a 2010 regional election dispute.

Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Ronny Sompie said Bambang, who was detained on Friday morning, has been accused of prompting witnesses to give false testimony at the Constitutional Court on election dispute in Kotawaringin Barat, Central Kalimantan, in 2010 when he was still a lawyer.

Bambang, who later joined KPK, became one of its top five leaders. He has not been arrested but questioned by the police, Ronny added.

Ronny noted that the police received the reports of the alleged false testimony only on Jan. 15 and it was backed by expert opinions and documents.

Sompie denied any link between the Bambang case and KPK naming Commr. Gen. Budi Gunawan a corruption suspect on Jan. 13.

Budi Gunawan was named corruption suspect after President Joko Widodo nominated him to replace Gen. Sutarman as new police chief.

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