Golkar 'rebels' join call for Akbar's suspension<\/p>\n
Muhammad Nafik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Cracks in the wall the Golkar Party has built up around its
\nembattled leader Akbar Tanjung are becoming increasingly evident,
\nas support from party legislators for the demanded suspension of
\nthe convicted House of Representatives speaker gains momentum.<\/p>\n
At least 15 legislators from the second largest faction in the
\nHouse have reportedly joined other lawmakers in signing a
\npetition demanding that Akbar be suspended from the top post in
\nthe legislative body.<\/p>\n
"The number may even be more than 15 members of the Golkar
\nfaction," Ariady Achmad, one of the signatories from the Akbar-
\nled party, told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Dwi Ria Latifa from the Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI Perjuangan), who is one of those spearheading the
\nanti-Akbar motion, confirmed that at least 15 of the 120 Golkar
\nlawmakers had signed the petition.<\/p>\n
"I have received information from fellow legislators in Golkar
\nthat at least 15 of their colleagues have joined with us," she
\ntold the Post separately on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Dwi said support from the Golkar legislators brought the
\nnumber of anti-Akbar petition signatories to at least 118
\nlegislators.<\/p>\n
A petition containing only 68 signatures was submitted to the
\nHouse last month demanding that Akbar be suspended as the body's
\nspeaker.<\/p>\n
"Around 50 more legislators, including 15 from Golkar, have
\nsigned the petition. The number of signatories has now increased
\nto 118," Dwi said.<\/p>\n
People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Amien Rais has said
\nsupport from at least 150 signatories would be "significant",
\nincreasing pressure on the 500-member House to oust Akbar.<\/p>\n
The 15 Golkar signatories included Ariady, deputy party leader
\nMarwah Daud Ibrahim and two other legislators, Husni Thamrin and
\nSarwoko Soerjohoedojo.<\/p>\n
Ariady declined to give the names of other Golkar lawmakers
\nwho supported the petition calling for Akbar to step aside
\ntemporarily after having been sentenced to three years in prison
\nfor corruption.<\/p>\n
Akbar was found guilty last month by the Central Jakarta
\nDistrict Court of misappropriating Rp 40 billion in funds
\nbelonging to the State Logistics Agency (Bulog). Many say the
\nfunds were used to help finance the Golkar campaign for the 1999
\ngeneral election.<\/p>\n
The convicted House speaker has remained free pending the
\noutcome of his appeal and has defied mounting pressure to quit
\nhis post.<\/p>\n
Marwah, who was the first senior Golkar legislator to bluntly
\nurge Akbar to resign, confirmed she was among the petition
\nsignatories but refrained from naming others.<\/p>\n
She warned that Akbar should relinquish his leadership in the
\nHouse before November or otherwise he would be forced to quit or
\nunseated.<\/p>\n
Ariady also said other senior legislators from Golkar,
\nincluding Fahmi Idris, Agung Laksono and Theo L. Sambuaga, were
\npresent at "two or three" meetings aimed at soliciting support
\nfor the suspension of Akbar.<\/p>\n
"I'm not sure if they have signed (the petition) or not. But I
\nbelieve they would do so," Ariady added.<\/p>\n
He said such meetings involving Golkar politicians would be
\nheld "frequently" to discuss the "prospects of Golkar in response
\nto this latest development" and in order to garner more support
\nfor the petition.<\/p>\n
Akbar ally Marzuki Ahmad, chairman of the Golkar faction in
\nthe House, confirmed informal meetings of party legislators had
\ntaken place several times in order to "mobilize" backing for
\nopposition against the House speaker.<\/p>\n
"I know there have been meetings against Pak Akbar. But I have
\nno knowledge about what they discussed," Marzuki said.<\/p>\n
Commenting on the growing support within Golkar for the
\npetition, he said: "It's a phenomenon of democracy in which
\nanybody can express their aspirations freely. But if the party
\nhas taken a decision, all members must follow it. It's
\ndemocracy".<\/p>\n
Marzuki pledged he would never sign such a petition, saying:
\n"As the chairman of the Golkar faction, it is impossible for me
\nto do so."<\/p>",
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