PDI Perjuangan betrays the people: Observers<\/p>\n
Muhammad Nafik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Noted political observers bemoaned on Saturday the decision of
\nthe Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) to
\nspurn moves within the House of Representatives (DPR) to probe
\nSpeaker Akbar Tandjung's involvement in a Rp 40 billion scandal.<\/p>\n
They accused PDI Perjuangan, the biggest faction in the House,
\nand its chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri of betraying the people
\nwho have put their trust in her commitment to fight corruption.<\/p>\n
Muslim scholar Nurcholish Madjid said PDI Perjuangan's
\ndecision to drop the proposal to establish a committee (Pansus)
\nto probe the scandal was ironic given the party, which was
\nheavily suppressed by former president Soeharto, was now against
\nefforts to uphold justice.<\/p>\n
\"This is not about Akbar Tandjung, who is also my close
\nfriend, or anybody else, but about how to uphold justice,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Nurcholis added that PDI Perjuangan's decision would not only
\noffend the public but also lead to what he described as \"public
\nimpunity\", a condition where the public could not punish guilty
\npeople.<\/p>\n
Ending months of indecisiveness, PDI Perjuangan secretary-
\ngeneral Sutjipto said on Friday that his party opposed the call
\nfor the House to investigate Akbar over his alleged involvement
\nin the misuse of Rp 40 billion from the State Logistics Agency
\n(Bulog).<\/p>\n
As PDI Perjuangan is the largest faction in the House with 153
\nseats, such a decision practically kills any hope for a complete
\nprobe into the scandal.<\/p>\n
The announcement came just three days before the House is to
\ntake the ultimate decision on the proposed setting up of the
\ndisciplinary committee.<\/p>\n
The National Awakening Party (PKB), the fourth largest faction
\nin the House, was the sponsor of the call for the establishment
\nof an investigative team.<\/p>\n
The scandal, dubbed Buloggate II, was being tried separately
\nat the Central Jakarta and South Jakarta District Courts with
\nAkbar and former Bulog chief Rahardi Ramelan among the suspects.<\/p>\n
Legal experts, however, have blasted the trials, which started
\nin March, for failing to uncover the scandal.<\/p>\n
Strong criticisms were also voiced by former president
\nAbdurrahman \"Gus Dur\" Wahid, political analysts J. Kristiadi and
\nArief Budiman.<\/p>\n
Gus Dur said the PDI Perjuangan had ignored the interests of
\nthe nation as a whole by rejecting the proposed establishment of
\nPansus.<\/p>\n
\"PDI Perjuangan has neglected the people,\" he told journalists
\nafter addressing a seminar in Jakarta on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Gus Dur was ousted from power last year after a similar
\ninquiry implicated him in the high-profile \"Buloggate I\"
\ninvolving Rp 35 billion from the same agency.<\/p>\n
Kristiadi said that with the unpopular stance PDI Perjuangan
\nhas ignored people's \"sense of justice\".<\/p>\n
\"PDI Perjuangan has betrayed its constituents who want
\ncorruption, collusion and nepotism eradicated without
\ndiscrimination,\" he told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.<\/p>\n
He said since the current legal process against Akbar has
\nfailed to adequately satisfy the public, an investigation by the
\nHouse to thoroughly uncover the scandal should be taken
\nimmediately.<\/p>\n
Arief Budiman agreed and said: \"It is extremely disappointing;
\nthey have betrayed the people.\"<\/p>\n
Arief said the move was part of Megawati's maneuvers to retain
\npower in the 2004 election by seeking alliance with the second
\nlargest party, Golkar.<\/p>\n
\"There must be already a political deal between Golkar and PDI
\nPerjuangan in preparation for the next elections,\" Arief said on
\nthe sidelines of the same seminar in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Arief, who currently lecturers at Australia's Melbourne
\nUniversity, said PDI Perjuangan's rejection of the inquiry into
\nAkbar clearly shows that its support for the previous corruption
\nprobe into Gus Dur, which led to his downfall, was \"not genuine\".<\/p>\n
\"It proves that the backing was aimed at merely making
\nMegawati president.<\/p>\n
\"Don't talk about reform any longer. It's already dead. What
\nhas been going on is the struggle for power among members of the
\npolitical elite,\" Arief said.<\/p>\n
Chronology of Bulog special committee debate and PDI Perjuangan's
\nrole<\/p>\n
Oct. 23, 2001:
\n50 legislators sign a petition demanding the establishment of a
\nspecial committee (Pansus) to investigate the Bulog scandal<\/p>\n
Oct. 24, 2001:
\nTaufik Kiemas, the husband of PDI Perjuangan chairwoman Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri, meets suspect Akbar Tandjung who is seeking the
\nparty's support not to bring the scam before a House special
\ncommittee<\/p>\n
Nov. 22, 2001:
\nHouse of Representatives' steering committee (Bamus) fails to
\ndecide when the legislators will call for a plenary session to
\nform a committee<\/p>\n
Nov. 28, 2001:
\nSteering committee again fails to set a date for plenary session<\/p>\n
Dec. 10, 2001:
\nSteering committee decides to convene plenary meeting to decide
\nspecial committee question on Jan. 21<\/p>\n
Jan. 21, 2002:
\nHouse plenary session agrees to delay decision to let the legal
\nprocess proceed. PDI Perjuangan says it prefers the legal process
\nto a House probe.<\/p>\n
March 7, 2002:
\nPlenary session fails to take any decision and agrees to
\nreconvene on March 18<\/p>\n
March 18, 2002:
\nPlenary session postpones decision to the next sitting.<\/p>\n
March 25:
\nAkbar's trial starts<\/p>\n
July 1:
\nPlenary session to decide whether special committee will be
\nestablished<\/p>",
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