Inquiry on Akbar delayed: Tosari<\/p>\n
A'an Suryana and Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Legislators will be too busy in the coming months deliberating
\nbills and holding meetings in their respective commissions to put
\nthe issue of the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) scandal on the
\nagenda, according to House of Representatives deputy speaker
\nTosari Wijaya.<\/p>\n
Therefore, Tosari said on Friday, the House delayed the talks
\nthat would have set in motion a House inquiry committee for Bulog
\nto March 7.<\/p>\n
\"This is just a matter of schedule. We can't insist on
\ndeliberating the issue in February because it will disturb
\nactivities of our commissions,\" Tosari of the United Development
\nParty (PPP) told The Jakarta Post at his office.<\/p>\n
Bills slated to be deliberated by legislators during the
\ncurrent House session include bills on money laundering,
\nelectricity, and property rights.<\/p>\n
According to Tosari, the House had also decided to prioritize
\nmeetings in each commission by reducing plenary meetings,
\nincluding a plenary session scheduled to establish the special
\ninquiry team.<\/p>\n
Tosari's statement just confirmed speculation that the House
\nwas not serious in establishing the special committee to
\ninvestigate the Bulog scandal, that implicates House Speaker and
\nGolkar Party chairman Akbar Tandjung.<\/p>\n
Intensive lobbying by executives of Golkar has apparently
\nproduced the desired affect.<\/p>\n
The three largest factions in the House -- the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), Golkar and PPP --
\nare all opposed to the establishment of the House inquiry.<\/p>\n
Some legislators from PDI Perjuangan, including those who
\njoined other legislators in filing the request for the
\nestablishment of the special inquiry, voiced differing opinions
\nfrom their party's official position.<\/p>\n
Haryanto Taslam, for example, said such a committee of inquiry
\nwould still be needed due to the weak legal system.<\/p>\n
\"We've known that the legal process is disappointing,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
In the meantime a senior executive of PDI Perjuangan, Tarto
\nSudiro, warned on Friday that the party would slap sanctions on
\nits legislators who deviated from the party's stance in the Bulog
\nscam.<\/p>\n
\"Should the legislators differ on the party's line, the
\nparty's executive board will not hesitate to issue a formal
\nwarning letter.<\/p>\n
\"More than that, this may end in their dismissal from the
\nparty,\" said Tarto, who is the party's research and development
\nhead.<\/p>\n
Tarto expressed confidence that in the end, when there is a
\nplenary meeting to decide on the establishment of the special
\ninquiry, no party members would dissent.<\/p>\n
\"We are optimistic that not even a single member will deviate
\nfrom the party's stance,\" he said.<\/p>\n
After getting a lot of support from PDI Perjuangan, Akbar
\ninsisted that he would go to Mecca for haj, although, according
\nto some Muslim scholars, the pilgrimage should not be a priority
\njudging from his current status as a suspect in the Bulog scandal
\nand the fact that he had gone to Mecca before, in 1984.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, Akbar contended that \"I went there (Mecca) alone
\non that occasion. This time, I will go with my family members.\"<\/p>\n
In addition, he said he had consulted with Religious Affairs
\nMinister Said Aqil Munawar on his decision, and the minister
\nsupported his plan.<\/p>\n
\"I requested to leave on Feb. 14 on the last haj flight and
\nwill return on the first flight. I've talked with the religious
\naffairs minister,\" Akbar told the press here.<\/p>\n
Akbar assured the public that his travel to the Muslim holy
\nland was not aimed at avoiding the legal process of his alleged
\ninvolvement in the Rp 40 billion (US$4 million) scandal.<\/p>\n
He denied speculation that he had been trying to use religious
\nsentiment to avoid questioning by the Attorney General's Office,
\nclaiming he had arranged the schedule in advance.<\/p>\n
Akbar was declared a suspect on Jan. 7 in the scandal. The
\nAttorney General's Office has since been summoning dozens of
\nwitnesses to testify in the scandal.<\/p>\n
The Attorney General's Office has also announced that it will
\nnot issue an overseas travel ban on Akbar, but it is set to
\nsummon him for questioning on Feb. 4.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/inquiry-on-akbar-delayed-tosari-1447893297",
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