5 House factions support Golkar<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Five major factions at the House of
\nRepresentatives cast their political weight on Wednesday and came
\nto the defense of the embattled Golkar Party, censuring public
\ncalls for the dissolution of the party's existence.<\/p>\n
The five factions -- the Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI Perjuangan), United Development Party (PPP), Ummat
\nSovereignty Party (PDU), Crescent Star Party (PBB) and Reform --
\nalong with Golkar itself, made a common stand saying that the
\nformer ruling party's rights and existence was guaranteed by law.<\/p>\n
Achmad Sumargono, spokesman for the six factions, told
\njournalists that no one except the court has the authority to
\ndissolve Golkar.<\/p>\n
"In line with ongoing actions, massive demonstrations and
\ncirculating opinions on the dissolution of a political party, it
\nshould be done in accordance with the 1999 law on political
\nparties," Achmad said during a joint press conference.<\/p>\n
"Any activities that are done outside of the legal mechanism
\nis against the law and must be halted," he asserted.<\/p>\n
The six factions also condemned violent rallies which have
\ntaken place in East Java, especially the torching of Golkar's
\noffice in Surabaya last Wednesday.<\/p>\n
They called on law enforcers to take action against those
\ninvolved in the aggressive action.<\/p>\n
Golkar has been under fire recently for its perceived
\nconnections with the past regime and its support for a House
\nmemorandum which censured President Abdurrahman Wahid.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman himself has also defended the Golkar Party's
\nexistence and that its current structure is different from the
\nparty which supported former president Soeharto in the past.<\/p>\n
Arifin Panigoro, chairman of the PDI Perjuangan faction,
\nmaintained on Wednesday that their support for Golkar was not
\nrelated to the escalating tension between the legislative body
\nand the President.<\/p>\n
"This statement not only has the support from faction
\nchairmen but also from all its members," Arifin claimed.<\/p>\n
"It's an expression of solidarity among the factions, but it
\nhas nothing to do with the tension between the House and the
\nPresident. In fact it is even expected to calm things," he added.<\/p>\n
Arifin argued that the censure and the issuance of a
\nmemorandum against the President was the House's constitutional
\nright and was used in line with its control function.<\/p>\n
"The House sticks to the 1978 MPR decree and the laws
\npertaining to the issuance of a memorandum," he said.<\/p>\n
Arifin remarked that any acceleration towards a special
\nsession, which could possibly begin an impeachment process, would
\ndepend on whether "the President makes repairs in his
\ngovernment."<\/p>\n
The six were among the eight factions that accepted the result
\nof a probe by a special House Committee over the President's
\nalleged involvement in the National Logistics Agency (Bulog) and
\nBrunei scandals.<\/p>\n
Despite the show of political support, new allegations of
\nfinancial impropriety have been quickly rising to the fore, in
\nparticular claims that it obtained financial donations from Bulog
\nduring the 1999 general election.<\/p>\n
Golkar Party Deputy Treasurer Enggartiasto Lukito separately
\ndenied any wrongdoing by his party.<\/p>\n
"If anybody wants to audit the party it's okay. We have
\nsubmitted our financial report on the use of election funds to
\nthe Supreme Court and we have been cleared from all charges
\nagainst us," Enggartiasto remarked.<\/p>\n
During the last election Golkar used around Rp 90 billion for
\ncampaign activities, but it was not from the State Logistics
\nAgency (Bulog), as suggested by Minister of Defense Mahfud MD,
\nEnggartiasto said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Aly As'ad and Effendi Choirie, two members of the
\nNational Awakening Party (PKB) faction, on Wednesday filed a
\nlawsuit to the Central Jakarta court against House Speaker Akbar
\nTandjung and Bachtiar Chamsyah, chairman of the special committee
\ninvestigating the two financial scandals.<\/p>\n
Effendi said inconsistencies were abound as the House
\nsupported a probe into the two financial scandals allegedly
\ninvolving the President, but refused to open up an investigation
\ninto the "leakage" of Rp 2 trillion nonbudgetary funds from Bulog
\nwhich may implicate Golkar.<\/p>\n
Effendi further said Bachtiar was being sued because he
\nallowed the special committee to vote over facts during the
\ninvestigation.(rms\/dja)<\/p>",
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