House asks Legal Commission to study AG's writ<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives asked the House
\nCommission II on legal and home affairs on Wednesday to study the
\nAttorney General's summons on the special committee's members
\ninvestigating two financial scandals allegedly involving the
\nPresident.<\/p>\n
\"We agreed to give the matter to the House commission II as
\nthey are allowed to ask clarification from the Attorney General's
\nOffice about the summons letter before we respond to it,\" the
\nHouse Speaker Akbar Tandjung said.<\/p>\n
After a closed-door meeting with the House deputy speakers,
\nAkbar said it should be clarified first in what position the
\nlegislators are being summoned as they all have legal immunity
\nwhile performing their duty as legislators.<\/p>\n
\"All special committee members were using their legislative
\nrights of investigation on the scandals, so they have immunity
\nand cannot be summoned in regards to the case,\" he remarked.<\/p>\n
He said President Abdurrahman Wahid has provided the permit
\nfor the attorney general to summon the 50 legislative members of
\nthe special committee, but the House will wait for the
\nrecommendation from Commission II on the matter.<\/p>\n
The House alleged that the President played a role in the
\nscams after its four-month inquiry into the fraudulent withdrawal
\nof Rp 35 billion belonging to State Logistics Agency (Bulog)
\nemployee foundation and of US$2 million in humanitarian aid he
\naccepted from the Brunei sultan.<\/p>\n
The inquiry result provided the House with a basis to censure
\nthe President and to recommend that a legal process follow its
\nreport. The cases are currently being tackled by the Attorney
\nGeneral's Office and the National Police.<\/p>\n
On Monday, Attorney General Marzuki Darusman said questioning
\nthe legislators was a prerequisite for a legal proceeding, and
\ninsisted that they should meet his office's summons because their
\ntestimony was needed in order to complete the investigation into
\nthe cases.<\/p>\n
Marzuki said the summons would not be sent in the near future,
\nbut the legislators would be the first in line for questioning.<\/p>\n
Five major factions at the House then recommended that faction
\nmembers defy summonses for questioning.<\/p>\n
The factions represent the Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI Perjuangan), the Golkar Party, the Crescent Star
\nParty (PBB), the United Development Party (PPP) and a coalition
\nof National Mandate Party (PAN) and several minor Muslim-based
\nparties.<\/p>\n
Separately, the National Ombudsman Commission Chairman
\nAntonius Sujata concurred saying that the legislators should
\ncomply with the summonses if they want the attorney general to
\nfollow up the case.<\/p>\n
\"The legislators gave the report to the Attorney General's
\nOffice. If they do not want to give further explanation then how
\nwill the attorney general follow up the report?\" Antonius said on
\nthe sidelines of a seminar here.<\/p>\n
\"Besides, the law obliges anyone to fulfill a summons from the
\nAttorney General's Office,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Constitutional law expert Satya Arinanto said the attorney
\ngeneral should summonses the witnesses of the scandals as
\nmentioned in the special committee's report first, rather than
\nthe legislators.<\/p>\n
\"They (legislators and witnesses) should all be summoned, but
\nthe attorney general should starts with the witnesses, because
\nthey have a connection with the scandals, not the legislators,\"
\nSatya said.(dja)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/house-asks-legal-commission-to-study-ags-writ-1447893297",
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