Penalty awaits lazy legislators<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Instead of discussing House of Representatives' Speaker Akbar
\nTandjung being named a suspect in the Bulog scandal, House
\nmembers on Tuesday simply discussed the possibility of penalizing
\nlazy and careless legislators.<\/p>\n
The status of Akbar as a suspect was announced by Attorney
\nGeneral MA Rachman in a year-end report by his office on Monday.<\/p>\n
However, the two-hour consultative faction meeting at the
\nHouse on Tuesday did not mention Akbar's status simply because
\nthe issue was not on the agenda.<\/p>\n
The meeting focused only on penalizing lazy legislators, who
\nfrequently avoid parliamentary meetings for other activities.<\/p>\n
Ironically, Tuesday's meeting was attended by only 258 of the
\n486 legislators. Many legislators were absent without clear
\nreasons.<\/p>\n
After leaders of the House reach an agreement to set up an ad-
\nhoc disciplinary committee, punishments will be set.<\/p>\n
When Akbar was asked if the disciplinary committee would also
\nassess his suspect status, he said that the issue was not
\ndiscussed at the meeting.<\/p>\n
\"The penalty will be determined by a committee to be set up
\nsoon. Details on the penalty will be discussed later,\" House
\nSpeaker Akbar Tandjung told a press conference after the meeting.<\/p>\n
Akbar, who was accompanied by House deputy speaker Tosari
\nWidjaja, confirmed that all faction leaders had agreed to uphold
\nthe revised internal regulations in a bid to boost legislative
\nperformance.<\/p>\n
Based on the internal regulations the House revised last
\nOctober, any violation by the legislators carries a maximum
\npenalty of dismissal.<\/p>\n
Those dubbed the \"lazy legislators\" include Taufik Kiemas,
\nhusband of President Megawati Soekarnoputri, who was criticized
\nearly last month for leading a ministerial delegation to China.<\/p>\n
Akbar said details on the establishment of the disciplinary
\ncommittee would be discussed at a meeting of the House steering
\ncommittee on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Asked if the disciplinary committee would also assess his
\nsuspect status, Akbar simply said that it was not mentioned at
\nthe meeting.<\/p>\n
The consultative meeting, however, discussed dozens of
\nunsolved bills. According to Akbar, the meeting had agreed to
\noutline priorities to be taken by the legislators to cope with
\nthe deliberation of those bills.<\/p>\n
Touching on the government's newly-launched drive for
\nefficiency, Akbar said that all factions had agreed to support
\nthe policy.<\/p>\n
However, at their first meeting on Monday most if not all
\nlegislators wore suits instead of shirts as required by the drive
\nto show modesty. A Jaguar sedan was also seen in the parking lot.<\/p>",
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