Factions rebuke govt over Sukhoi, BLBI<\/p>\n
A'an Suryana and Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Most of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) factions
\nexpressed on Saturday their disappointment with the achievements
\nof President Megawati Soekarnoputri's government over the past
\nyear, saying it did not live up to people's expectations.<\/p>\n
The controversial purchase of Sukhoi jet fighters topped the
\nlist of criticisms, which also covered the government's policies
\nregarding separatism, privatization of state enterprises, rampant
\ncorruption and poor law enforcement.<\/p>\n
Only 407 lawmakers of the 700-strong MPR were present at
\nSaturday's session to hear the factions' responses to Megawati's
\nprogress report, delivered during the opening session on Friday.<\/p>\n
The gist of Megawati's report was that her government had
\nbrought both political and economic stability.<\/p>\n
Megawati, Vice President Hamzah Haz and a number of Cabinet
\nministers who attended the session appeared calm, even when the
\nfactions launched verbal attacks on the government through their
\nspokespersons.<\/p>\n
The Sukhoi deal became a hot issue over the past month, after
\nthe House of Representatives set up a working committee to
\ninquire into alleged procedural violations in their purchase. The
\ncommittee had listed Megawati's son-in-law among those to be
\nquizzed, but no date has been set for this.<\/p>\n
The controversy centers on the US$192.6 million purchase, made
\nduring a state visit to Moscow in May, of four Sukhoi jet
\nfighters and two assault helicopters. The combat aircraft were
\nbought through a countertrade deal for Indonesian products and
\ncommodities.<\/p>\n
The Golkar Party, the main rival of Megawati's Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), lashed out at the
\ngovernment over the deal, saying the purchase was not mentioned
\non the state budget's expenditure, so the government had violated
\nthe State Budget Law.<\/p>\n
Golkar spokesman Amidhan said the government had also breached
\nLaw No. 3\/2002 on defense for bypassing the defense ministry in
\nthe deal, which was instead administered by the trade ministry.<\/p>\n
\"The deal proves that the government has failed to understand
\nand apply good governance,\" read Amidhan.<\/p>\n
Reform faction spokesman Abdul Hakam Naja demanded a formal
\ninvestigation into those allegedly involved in the deal.<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan did not touch the Sukhoi deal in its response,
\nand only said Megawati had defended the issue in her progress
\nreport as following proper administration procedures.<\/p>\n
Joining the chorus of attack on the government, the National
\nAwakening Party (PKB) faction focused its offensive on the
\ngovernment's weak law enforcement, expressing discontent that
\nonly three of about 50 officials charged with misusing the Bank
\nIndonesia Liquidity Support (BLBI) had been brought to court.<\/p>\n
\"There should have been no difficulty in dealing with the
\ncases if the President had stuck to her promise to combat
\ncorruption down to its roots,\" read spokesman Amin Said Husni.<\/p>\n
On the Aceh issue, most factions agreed that the government
\nmust push the humanitarian aspect of the integrated operation to
\nwin the hearts and minds of the people of the war-torn province.<\/p>\n
In regards privatization, the Reform and the Crescent Star
\nParty factions expressed various concerns over asset sales,
\nparticularly that of shares in telecommunication company Indosat
\nto a Singapore-based holding company, saying such productive and
\nstrategic state assets must not fall into foreign hands.<\/p>\n
Most factions also pressed that the Annual Session produce a
\nrecommendation for the Megawati government to improve their
\nperformance.<\/p>",
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