House kills motion against convicted corruptor Akbar<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Despite pressure from the public and legislators, the House of
\nRepresentatives (DPR) failed again on Thursday to decide on a
\nmotion brought against criminal convict Akbar Tandjung, speaker
\nof the House.<\/p>\n
Akbar was found guilty of corruption and sentenced to three
\nyears in jail in 2002 for his role in a Rp 40 billion (US$4.7
\nmillion) financial scandal involving the State Logistics Agency
\n(Bulog).<\/p>\n
The Jakarta High Court upheld the ruling in January 2003,
\nprompting some 70 legislators to submit a motion seeking the
\nestablishment of a House disciplinary committee to try and remove
\nthe Golkar chairman from his post as House speaker. Akbar is free
\npending an appeal to the Supreme Court, which is headed by former
\nGolkar member Bagir Manan.<\/p>\n
During the House plenary meeting on Thursday, a heated debate
\ntook place over the motion between legislators who wanted Akbar
\nto be disciplined and lawmakers loyal to the chairman of the New
\nOrder political machine.<\/p>\n
While the two camps argued, House deputy speaker Soetardjo
\nSoerjogoeritno, who was presiding, suddenly banged his gavel and
\nclosed the plenary meeting.<\/p>\n
This unexpected turn of events drew protest from legislators,
\nbut Soetardjo, from President Megawati Soekarnoputri's Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) simply waved his
\nhand.<\/p>\n
According to Soetardjo, the plenary meeting on Thursday was
\narranged simply to hear a report on the chronology of a motion
\nagainst Akbar by 72 inter-faction legislators.<\/p>\n
Responding to the report, National Awakening Party (PKB)
\nfaction chairman Rodjil Ghufron suggested that the plenary
\nmeeting make a final decision to end the debate.<\/p>\n
Dwi Ria Latifa, Firman Jaya Daeli and Permadi of PDI
\nPerjuangan concurred, suggesting that each faction should express
\nits stance on the issue.<\/p>\n
"How can we talk about the eradication of corruption if we are
\nled by a convicted corrupter?" Ria Latifa asked.<\/p>\n
Some legislators cited the case of former president
\nAbdurrahman Wahid and compared it to Akbar's. Abdurrahman,
\npopularly known as Gus Dur, was accused of misusing Rp 35 billion
\nin funds belonging to the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) and
\nreceiving US$2 million from Brunei Darussalam.<\/p>\n
The allegation led to Abdurrahman's removal from presidential
\noffice in July 2001.<\/p>\n
Mutamimmul 'Ula and Mashadi of the Reform faction and Hamdan
\nZoelva of the Crescent Star Party (PBB) faction were among those
\ncalling for a final decision from the House.<\/p>\n
But Akbar's loyalists, Abduh Paddare of the United Development
\nParty (PPP) faction, and Ade Komaruddin, Agun Gunandjar Sudarsa
\nand Yahya Zaini of Golkar, emphasized that the motion against
\nAkbar's leadership could not be followed up because it was
\nregulated by House internal rulings.<\/p>\n
"An expression by legislators is made only to comment on
\npolicies of the government," Yahya added.<\/p>\n
Prompted by confusion over the war of words, Soetardjo made an
\nunexpected decision.<\/p>\n
He said that the controversy would be returned to the House
\nsteering committee for further discussion. This decision
\nobviously reflected the House's reluctance to dismiss Akbar from
\nhis post.<\/p>\n
Chronology of the motion against Akbar
\n----------------------------------------------------------------
\n1. Sept.16, 2002 : 72 inter-faction legislators propose motion<\/p>\n
against Akbar's leadership.
\n2. Sept.17, 2002 : House leaders discuss the motion and tell<\/p>\n
the House steering committee to discuss it
\nfurther.
\n3. Oct.31, 2002 : A meeting of the steering committee asks<\/p>\n
House leaders for their input on the issue.
\n4. Nov.5, 2002 : A meeting of House leaders says it needs
\ntime<\/p>\n
to assess the motion against Akbar Tandjung.
\n5. Nov.12, 2002 : House leaders conclude that there is no<\/p>\n
regulation to follow up the motion.
\n6. Nov.26, 2002 : A steering committee meeting suggests all<\/p>\n
factions inform their members of the House
\nleaders'<\/p>\n
decision.
\n7. Jan.30, 2003 : A meeting of the steering committee decides
\nthat<\/p>\n
a plenary meeting on Feb.27 will hear<\/p>\n
the chronology of the motion against Akbar.
\n---------------------------------------------------------------
\nSource: DPR<\/p>",
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