How Seriously Indonesia's Police Hunt down Nazaruddin

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Indonesian police have mounted a search for former treasurer of the ruling Democrat Party, Mohammad Nazaruddin, who is wanted as a suspect in a corruption case.

"We do it by ourselves as well as in cooperation with other parties. We will search for him in other places if he is not found in one place. We will keep searching for him," National Police chief General Timur Pradopo said here on Wednesday.

He made the statement after presidential spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha said that according to information from the Singapore foreign ministry Nazaruddin was no longer in that country. Nazaruddin had been named a suspect by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in connection with the corruption case at the Athlete Village project for the Southeast Asian Games in Palembang.

"Investigation is still ongoing. We have also issued a ’red notice’ so that countries that cooperate with the Interpol could inform us in case they know where he is," he said.

General Pradopo said he had received no official information from the Singapore police confirming that Nazaruddin was no longer in that country.

"Officially not yet. But we collect all information available. We will check in case we have information like that," he said.

Nazaruddin recently drew public attention by telling through short message service that some other party leaders were also involved in his case. Party chief Anas Urbaningrum reported Nazaruddin to the police for smearing on Tuesday over Nazaruddin’s text message that implicates him in his case.