Public pressure grows for Akbar to resign<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The heat has turned up a notch on Golkar chairman and House of
\nRepresentatives (DPR) Speaker Akbar Tandjung -- a suspect in a
\nhigh-profile corruption case -- to delegate his authority to his
\ndeputies in the House pending the results of the ongoing
\ninvestigation.<\/p>\n
\"It would be wise for Akbar to temporarily quit his post as
\nHouse speaker and delegate his authorities to his deputies.
\nOtherwise, it will further taint the already tarnished image of
\nthe DPR for allowing itself to be led by a detained person
\nsuspected of corruption,\" chairman of the Justice Party (PK)
\nHidayat Nurwahid said after a ceremony marking the inauguration
\nof key party executives at the East Jakarta Youth Center on
\nSunday.<\/p>\n
Akbar, who was declared a suspect in the Bulog scandal last
\nmonth, was remanded in custody at the detention center in the
\nAttorney General's Office compound last Thursday.<\/p>\n
In addition to Akbar, the office has also detained fellow
\nsuspects former Bulog chairman Rahardi Ramelan; chairman of
\nRaudlatul Jannah Foundation, which was supposedly responsible for
\nthe distribution of food aid to the poor in 1999, Dadang
\nSukandar; and the contractor who was supposedly tasked with the
\ndistribution of the aid, Winfried Simatupang.<\/p>\n
Despite the detention, the public have questioned the
\nseriousness of the government in dealing thoroughly with the
\ncase. Past experiences show, for example, that even though Bank
\nof Indonesia Governor Sjahril Sabirin was declared a suspect in a
\nbanking scandal, he has never indicated his intention to resign.<\/p>\n
Public figures and analysts have stepped up their demands for
\nAkbar to relinquish or suspend his post at the House.<\/p>\n
They also argued that the corruption allegations leveled
\nagainst Akbar and his subsequent detention have put into question
\nhis moral authority to lead the House, one of the country's
\nhighest state institutions.<\/p>\n
\"How can this country be led by a corruption suspect who may
\nsoon become a convicted criminal?\", Indonesian Corruption Watch
\n(ICW) chairman Teten Masduki asked on Saturday.<\/p>\n
According to Teten -- who is also a member of the National
\nOmbudsman Commission -- from the ethical and political point of
\nview, Akbar should resign from his post as House speaker.<\/p>\n
\"If the files on Akbar's corruption case are already completed
\nand submitted to the court, Akbar has to resign from the House,\"
\nTeten was quoted by Antara as saying.<\/p>\n
Mulyana W. Kusumah, a lecturer at state-owned University of
\nIndonesia (UI), agreed with Teten, saying that Akbar's
\nresignation would facilitate the legal process at the Attorney
\nGeneral's Office.<\/p>\n
\"It (resignation) will show Akbar's political accountability
\nto the public,\" Mulyana told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Akbar, a suspect in a Rp 54.6 billion financial scandal
\ninvolving State Logistics Agency (Bulog), has been detained by
\nthe Attorney General's Office since Thursday, making him the
\nhighest official to be arrested in the government's faltering
\nattempts to wipe out corruption, collusion and nepotism, which is
\nwidely blamed for the country's protracted economic crisis.<\/p>\n
Most factions in the House, including that of President
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
\n(PDI Perjuangan), have rejected demands for the dismissal of the
\ndisgraced Golkar chairman, arguing that Akbar's detention would
\nnot affect activities in the House. They also urged the public at
\nlarge not to exaggerate Akbar's alleged corruption.<\/p>\n
The House's internal rules do not include procedures on
\ndealing with leaders if they are declared suspects in criminal
\ncases.<\/p>\n
But according to National Ombudsman Commission chairman Anton
\nSujata, the post of House chairman is a political position that
\nrequires high ethics and moral standards.<\/p>\n
\"Unlike civil servants, a politician with Akbar's caliber
\nshould have a high standard of political ethics,\" Anton said,
\nAntara reported Saturday.<\/p>\n
UI sociologist Imam B. Prasodjo also called for Akbar's
\nresignation, saying that the move would help the House
\nconcentrate on its legislation program.<\/p>\n
\"The House will be more effective if Akbar quits his post.
\nOnce Akbar leaves his post, legislators will be able to focus on
\ntheir legislation agenda,\" Imam added.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/public-pressure-grows-for-akbar-to-resign-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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