PKB sets sights on Golkar scandal probe<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The country could see another round of political
\nprobes into financial scandals if the National Awakening Party
\n(PKB) has its way by setting up a special committee to
\ninvestigate financial improprieties involving the Golkar Party.<\/p>\n
The PKB faction in the House of Representatives is already
\nsetting its sights on proposing such an investigation into
\nallegations that Golkar siphoned off Rp 90 billion from the
\nNational Logistics Agency (Bulog) for use in the 1999 general
\nelection.<\/p>\n
\"Our faction is still collecting data and evidence, including
\ndata from Minister of Defense Mahfud and the State Audit Agency,
\nbefore proposing an investigation into the scandal,\"
\nTaufikurrahman Saleh, chairman of the PKB faction, said here on
\nFriday.<\/p>\n
He claimed his faction already had \"reliable information\" that
\nsuch a donation was disbursed by Bulog officials to Golkar
\nfigures, and not directly to the party.<\/p>\n
Taufikurrahman added that his faction had met and urged
\nAttorney General Marzuki Darusman, who himself is a Golkar Party
\nmember, to be proactive in carrying out an intensive
\ninvestigation not only into the Bulog issue, but also into
\nreported financial leakages from state-owned oil company PT
\nPertamina and the Bank Indonesia liquidity support scheme (BLBI).<\/p>\n
\"Our faction has suspicions that Golkar figures were involved
\nin both these scandals,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Aberson Marle Sihaloho, an outspoken member of the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), would not say
\nwhether his faction would support the establishment of a new
\nspecial committee but remarked that several Golkar figures would
\nbe in a difficult position if a probe were launched.<\/p>\n
\"The defense minister's information is accurate and numerous
\nGolkar figures would likely face prosecution if the financial
\nscandals were investigated,\" he stressed.<\/p>\n
He said the Supreme Court could not liquidate the Golkar Party
\nwhatever the outcome of such a probe, but any of its figures who
\nwere implicated should be prosecuted.<\/p>\n
Minister of Defense Mahfud MD earlier this week publicly
\nalleged that Golkar had used money from Bulog.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Syamsul Muarif, chairman of the Golkar faction in
\nthe House, challenged Mahfud's remarks.<\/p>\n
\"Mahfud should not talk so much. If he has strong evidence
\nthat Golkar obtained Rp 90 billion from Bulog, he should bring it
\nto court. We are ready to accept an investigation into the
\nscandal,\" he said here on Friday.<\/p>\n
Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung conceded on Wednesday that he
\nwas deeply concerned over the numerous problems his party was
\nfacing.<\/p>\n
\"I can't understand why certain sides are trying to discredit
\nGolkar. The present Golkar is a political party with a new
\nparadigm and it's different from Golkar as a mass grouping during
\nthe New Order era,\" Akbar said.<\/p>\n
\"We have no objection if the government prosecutes any Golkar
\nfigures who were allegedly involved in past corruption,\" said
\nAkbar, while declining to categorize Mahfud's statement as
\nslander.<\/p>\n
Another PKB member, Ali Masykur Musa, said that if the House
\nwas prepared to form a committee to investigate the scandals
\nallegedly involving the President, \"then why don't they form a
\nsimilar committee to investigate the financial scandals involving
\nGolkar?\"<\/p>\n
Ali, however, maintained that his faction would not lobby
\nother factions for the establishment of such a committee.<\/p>\n
\"Let's just see how far this issue can go. This is the perfect
\ntime to see who are the New Order loyalists and who are the
\nsupporters of reform,\" Ali said. (02\/rms)<\/p>",
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