Indonesian prosecutors said today they would detain Indonesian parliament speaker Mr Akbar Tanjung after questioning him for seven hours at the attorney-general's office about graft allegations.
But plans to incarcerate the top politician hit a snag when he refused to sign documents relating to his own arrest, as required by Indonesian law.
Deputy attorney-general Mr Suparman told reporters late in the evening that Mr Tanjung's refusal "to sign the dossiers of arrest is our current obstacle and that's what we are discussing right now.
"For him to be detained anywhere he has to sign the dossiers of arrest. We have several legal options to consider but I don't want to disclose that," Mr Suparman said. "God willing, he will be detained here at the cell of the attorney-general's office".
Prosecutors had earlier said Mr Tanjung would be transferred to Salemba prison. Mr Tanjung, who has not been formally charged, also heads the former ruling Golkar party. He is the most senior political figure for years to be arrested over graft allegations.
President Ms Megawati Sukarnoputri promised to eradicate endemic corruption, collusion and nepotism when she came to power last July.
The issuing of the arrest warrant drew praise from President Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) and threats from furious Golkar legislators.
Golkar MPs declared they would pull their three members out of President Megawati's cooalition cabinet. Golkar, which ruled unchallenged for some three decades under former president Suharto, is now the second-largest party in the 500-member parliament with 120 seats. PDIP has 153.
AFP