DPR and its maneuvering<\/p>\n
From Koran Tempo<\/p>\n
If you take a hard look at our nation's legal system, you will
\nbe shocked to see that it is fraught with ironies. The 1998
\nreform movement -- expected to become the pillar for upholding
\nthe supremacy of the law -- still proves to be elusive. Every
\neffort to bring to justice the New Order regime's figures
\ninvolved in human rights abuse, corruption, collusion and
\nnepotism seems to have failed due to interference from the
\npolitical elite.<\/p>\n
It is no surprise that Indonesia has been labeled as one of
\nthe most corrupt countries in the world by the international
\nbusiness circle, as to date, only very few of the corruptors have
\nbeen convicted and sent to jail.<\/p>\n
Now even the House of Representatives (DPR) is bending the
\nlaw. The conclusion of House's special committee that President
\nAbdurrahman Wahid was involved in the Bulog and Brunei financial
\nscandals and had violated the State Policy Guidelines resulted in
\nthe House issuing two memorandums of censure against the
\nPresident. As a result, the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)
\nis going to hold a special session on Aug. 1, 2001 that might see
\nthe impeachment of the President. All these despite the fact that
\nthe Attorney General's Office has absolved Abdurrahman of any
\ninvolvement in the above mentioned scandals.<\/p>\n
DPR's maneuvering to bend the law did not stop there. When
\nAttorney General Baharuddin Lopa began an investigation into
\nHouse Speaker Akbar Tandjung and Arifin Panigoro (chairman of the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle's faction in the DPR)
\nover alleged corruption, their colleagues, including MPR Speaker
\nAmien Rais, decried the move saying it was aimed at terrorizing
\nMPR\/DPR members prior to the special session. This is an utterly
\nvulgar and uneducated behavior of the political elite.<\/p>\n
The public knows that corrupt members of the former New Order
\nregime are still sitting at ease in the DPR. The Golkar Party's
\npolitical maneuvering in the 1999 general election was any
\ndifferent from the previous general elections, which is fraught
\nwith bribery. As far as Baharuddin Lopa is concerned, he has
\nintegrity and is a law enforcer with a clean record.<\/p>\n
Hence, would you please, honorable MPR\/DPR members, give the
\nnewly inducted attorney general a chance to enforce the law. If
\nit turns out that Akbar Tandjung, Arifin Panigoro
\nand others have to spend the night in the Attorney General's
\nOffice cell prior to or after the MPR special session, so be it.
\nWhat really matters is that the law is upheld to eradicate
\ncorruption, collusion and nepotism, and purge the DPR of
\ncorruptors.<\/p>\n
RIDWAN<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/dpr-and-its-maneuvering-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }