AGO undecided on Akbar pilgrimage

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

As controversy continues to rage around House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung's planned haj pilgrimage, despite his status as a suspect in an alleged Rp 40 billion scam, Attorney General MA Rachman says he had not decided whether to let Akbar travel to Mecca or not.

"We've just read the request of Akbar Tandjung for a haj pilgrimage. We are yet to make a decision on a possible travel ban," Rachman said on Wednesday.

Akbar, who also chairs the Golkar Party, has been implicated in the alleged misuse of National Logistics Agency (Bulog) funds when he was the minister/state secretary in 1999.

The Attorney General's Office has required Akbar to seek its approval for his trip to the Holy Land as the office continues its investigation into the scandal.

Pressure has mounted on the office to allow Akbar to go ahead with his plan, including from a group of Golkar supporters from Aceh who vowed to declare a jihad in defense of Akbar.

Akbar renewed his claim on Wednesday saying that he had planned his pilgrimage for a long time. He said he would be available for questioning any time before his scheduled departure on Feb. 14.

He has performed the pilgrimage more than once before.

"I have planned the trip for a long time, but I will comply with the legal process. I respect the law," Akbar said after meeting scholar and old friend Ridwan Saidi.

Muslim figure Masdar Farid Mas'udi has warned that Akbar was seeking a loophole in the country's legal system. Masdar said Akbar should delay his trip for the sake of legal process given the fact that he had already performed a haj pilgrimage.

House legislators meanwhile were cautious in response to the controversy.

Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle legislator Dwi Ria Latifa said that the Attorney General's Office should take both religious and justice points of view into consideration before making a final decision.

National Awakening Party legislator Yusuf Muhammad said Akbar should delay his plan for the sake of the legal process now underway.

"Anything that has to be done will be more compulsory than sunnah," Yusuf said in reference to actions which are considered good for Muslims to complete but not mandatory.

According to Islamic law, the first haj pilgrimage is compulsory for Muslims while the next series of pilgrimages is termed sunnah.

However, Golkar legislator Akil Mochtar emphasized that planning for a haj trip was a call from God and therefore nobody could halt the plan.