ARREST OF CHIEF JUSTICE RAISES DEMAND FOR DEATH PENALTY

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Oct 5 (Antara) - Increasing cases of corruption committed by public officials is resulting in calls for enacting the death penalty following the conviction of corrupt officials.          The public has been frustrated amid efforts to cleanse the country of graft, yet corruption continues to take place.          The arrest of Chief Justice Akil Mochtar of the Constitutional Court (MK) by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Wednesday was just one in a series of arrests made of high ranking officials.          "The arrest of Akil Mochtar by the KPK added more proof to the fact that corruption has penetrated all state institutions," Emerson F Yuntho, a leader of Indonesian Corruption Watch (IWC), said.      He added that the arrest of the Constitutional Court chairman is a disaster for the country's Constitution.          A similar concern was also expressed by officials of Indonesian Police Watch (IPW), saying the public has been frustrated by the MK leader being mired in a graft case.          The Corruption Eradication Commission on Wednesday arrested Chairman of the Constitutional Court Akil Mochtar on charges of receiving bribes from a lawmaker and a businessman, in connection with a dispute related to the election of the head of the Gunung Mas district in Central Kalimantan.          He was caught allegedly accepting US$260 thousand from a Golkar party lawmaker, identified as CHN, and a businessman, CN. KPK spokesman Johan Budi said the KPK could only acknowledge that a total value of Rp2.7 billion in dollar and rupiah currencies had been confiscated following the KPK's search of Akil Mochtar's official residence.