Academics from various universities in Yogyakarta, together with representatives of civil society groups, have said the Indonesian people are urging President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo to take tough and proper action to end the mounting rivalry between the two main law enforcers in the country, namely the National Police and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

'The President can establish an independent team comprising leaders of higher education institutions and civil society groups, who have the capacity to examine and consider whether [KPK deputy chairman] Bambang Widjojanto was guilty [of incitement to perjury in a Constitutional Court case],' University of Gadjah Mada (UGM) rector Dwikorita Karnawati said on behalf of Yogyakarta academics during a rally in Yogyakarta on Sunday.

At the rally, academics from several universities, including the Yogyakarta State University (UNY), the Indonesian Islamic University of Yogyakarta (UII), the Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta (UMY), Duta Wacana Christian University, the University of Janabadra and the State Islamic University (UIN) Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, declared a joint statement of concern by Yogyakarta academics about the current situation in the country. A number of lawyers, NGO activists and Yogyakarta residents also attended the event.

Dwikorita said the joint statement was demonstration of the social and moral responsibility of the academics in the hope that the problems Indonesia was currently facing could be immediately resolved.

'Recently, there has been evidence of neglect of the people's voices in resolving problems of the nation. In a democratic system, the people are an important subject that should play a role in controlling the organization of a state. The President, in solving crucial problems, must listen and pay close attention to the voices of society's leaders, academics, NGOs and religious leaders,' she said.

UGM deputy rector Paripurna P. Sugarda said President Jokowi must take proper measures based on his mandate and authority as president to complete corruption eradication and law enforcement programs so that the crucial development agenda in Indonesia would not be hindered.

'The President is able to stop the criminalization of Bambang Widjojanto by, among others things, establishing an independent team to handle his case,' said the university's law expert.

The National Police's detective division arrested Bambang on Friday morning, accusing him of instructing a witness to commit perjury at the Constitutional Court in 2010 in a regional election dispute case in Waringin Barat, Central Kalimantan. (ebf)(+++)