Latief ready to clarify bill financing row to House<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief has agreed to
\nexplain to the House of Representatives his office's
\ncontroversial use of funds from a state-owned insurance firm to
\nfinance legislators deliberating the manpower bill at an
\nexpensive hotel.<\/p>\n
Latief has, over the past several days, refused to comment on
\nthe disbursement of billions of rupiah from PT Jamsostek for a
\ngroup of 1992\/1997 House members discussing the bill.<\/p>\n
Deputy House Speaker Syarwan Hamid said yesterday Latief had
\nwelcomed a hearing with the House, although he had not arranged
\ntime for it.<\/p>\n
\"I have met him (Latief) recently and he said he was ready for
\na dialog with the House. He is open to answering the queries,\"
\nSyarwan said.<\/p>\n
Syarwan said Latief was also willing to offer an explanation
\nshould the Attorney General and the Development and Finance
\nControl Agency wish to investigate the alleged mismanagement of
\nthe funds.<\/p>\n
\"The House hearing with the minister will likely take place
\nafter the Development and Finance Control Agency completes its
\nauditing of the funds disbursement,\" said Syarwan.<\/p>\n
He said he expected the hearing would end speculation that
\nLatief had used the money to grease the House's wheels to pass
\nthe bill.<\/p>\n
The bill was passed by the House on Sept. 11 and was signed by
\nthe President on Oct. 3, but will only be effective from Oct. 1
\nnext year.<\/p>\n
Latief had asked for Rp 7.1 billion (US$2.15 billion) from PT
\nJamsostek to finance the deliberation, but the firm could provide
\nonly Rp 3.1 it took from its current budget allotted for the
\nprotection of workers and membership expenditure.<\/p>\n
Jamsostek president Abdullah Nusi said the funds were
\nrelatively small, compared to the greater protection of workers
\nonce the Manpower Law becomes effective.<\/p>\n
Nusi said the money had been spent for, among other things,
\naccommodation, food, secretariat and transportation expenses
\nduring the two months of deliberation at Hotel Horison, Ancol,
\nNorth Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The United Development Party (PPP) faction demanded House
\nleaders Thursday to summon Latief to clarify the disbursement of
\nthe money.<\/p>\n
Syarwan said House leaders had arranged a discussion about the
\nplan to hear Latief's explanation during their weekly meeting
\nnext Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Corruption<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) demanded the
\nAttorney General question Latief for an alleged abuse of public
\nfunds.<\/p>\n
The foundation's chairman, Bambang Widjojanto, said Jamsostek
\npresident's confession Wednesday was more than enough for the
\nAttorney to start an investigation.<\/p>\n
\"The disbursement of funds can be categorized as corruption
\nand bribery if it is proven that it has been used to smooth the
\nway to the bill,\" Bambang said.<\/p>\n
He said Latief's ex-officio position as Jamsostek's president
\ncommissioner and a state official who oversees the company
\nenabled him to commit financial abuse.<\/p>\n
Bambang said that the House legislators involved in the
\ndeliberation should also be questioned for allegedly taking
\nbribes.<\/p>\n
A 1970 law allows the police to question House of
\nRepresentatives legislators with the President's consent. The law
\napplied last year to some Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI)
\nlegislators, including Megawati Soekarnoputri and Aberson Marle
\nSihaloho.<\/p>\n
Bambang also questioned the validity of the Manpower Law
\nfollowing the row, and demanded the government and the House
\nreview the law.<\/p>\n
\"This scandal has disclosed many political and moral flaws in
\nthe bill deliberation,\" Bambang said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, YLBHI's head of labor division Teten said that the
\nalleged corruption and bribery case must be investigated entirely
\nby the government.<\/p>\n
\"The government will lose public confidence if it fails to
\ncarry out a thorough investigation,\" Teten said.<\/p>\n
\"The government will also face great political risk due to a
\nflurry of problems now battering the country, including the
\ncurrent economic crisis,\" he added. (10\/amd)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/latief-ready-to-clarify-bill-financing-row-to-house-1447893297",
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