Legislators seek Akbar's ouster<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Following the declaration by the Attorney General that House
\nSpeaker Akbar Tandjung is indeed a suspect in a financial scandal
\ninvolving State Logistics Agency (Bulog), legislators are now
\nmoving to set up a Disciplinary Committee to determine whether or
\nnot Akbar still has the moral right to lead the House of
\nRepresentatives.<\/p>\n
Deputy House Speaker Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno of the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), the
\nbiggest faction in the House with 153 representatives, said here
\non Monday that House leaders would soon summon all faction
\nchairpersons to discuss the possibility of creating a House
\nCommittee to discuss the matter.<\/p>\n
\"The Committee will assess Akbar's position in the scandal. If
\nAkbar is deemed to have lost his credibility and the moral
\nmandate to lead the House, he would be forced to vacate his post
\nas House Speaker,\" Soetarjo said.<\/p>\n
House deputy speaker from the National Awakening Party (PKB)
\nMuhaimin Iskandar also called for the establishment of a
\nCommittee to evaluate Akbar's position in the House.<\/p>\n
\"We need to have a Committee to evaluate Akbar's status as a
\nsuspect in the Bulog scandal,\" Muhaimin said.<\/p>\n
PKB Legislator Chatibul Umam Wiranu urged Akbar to simply quit
\nhis post as soon as possible, with or without a Committee as he
\nhas lost the integrity and credibility to lead the House.<\/p>\n
Efforts to remove Abkar from his post, however, will surely
\nmeet strong resistance from the Golkar Party, which Akbar chairs.<\/p>\n
Golkar Faction Chairman Marzuki Achmad voiced his objection to
\nthe plan yesterday, claiming that removing Akbar from the top
\nlegislative post was totally irrelevant.<\/p>\n
\"There is no reason or urgency to set up a Disciplinary
\nCommittee to assess Akbar's credibility to lead the House,\"
\nMarzuki claimed on Monday.<\/p>\n
Article 57 of the House Internal Regulations stipulates a
\nDisciplinary Committee is tasked with investigating alleged
\nviolations by legislators of the House code of ethics, membership
\nrequirements or the legislators' pledge.<\/p>\n
The Attorney General's Office declared Akbar a suspect on
\nMonday after investigating his involvement in an alleged illegal
\ndisbursement of Rp 40 billion of Bulog funds when he was
\nMinister\/State Secretary in 1999.<\/p>\n
Akbar has maintained his innocence in the scandal, arguing
\nthat the money had been channeled to a foundation responsible for
\nthe distribution of food aid packages for the poor, which was
\npart of the government's social safety net program.<\/p>\n
Marzuki told reporters on Monday that the declaration of Akbar
\nas a suspect proved that the legal process has been working at
\nthe Attorney General's Office.<\/p>\n
He expressed the hope that the legal process would be fair and
\nwithout any political interference.<\/p>\n
\"We also want all parties to uphold the principle of a
\npresumption of innocence,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, political analyst from the University of Indonesia
\nSyamsuddin Haris urged Akbar to quit his post, saying that the
\nGolkar chairman had lost his credibility to lead the institution.<\/p>\n
\"He does not deserve the job anymore and it is unethical if he
\n(Akbar) remains as House Speaker,\" Syamsuddin was quoted by
\nAntara as saying.<\/p>\n
Coordinator of Government Watch Farid R. Faqih aired similar
\nviews, urging Akbar to step down immediately.<\/p>\n
\"Now that he has been declared a suspect, he should resign or
\nat least be suspended until the legal process is complete,\" Farid
\nsaid.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/legislators-seek-akbars-ouster-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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