Akbar case reveals crack in coalition govt

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Signs of a crack in the coalition government between the largest and second largest party, which catapulted Megawati Soekarnoputri to the presidency last July, is getting more obvious as the days go by.

The first sign was discernible on Monday when the Attorney General's Office named Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung, who is also Speaker of the House of Representatives, a suspect in the latest financial scandal involving the State Logistics Agency (Bulog).

The announcement was made following an approval from President Megawati, who is also chairperson of PDI Perjuangan.

The split gained momentum on Friday when the Golkar faction in the House criticized Megawati's six-month-old government in what it called a policy review media briefing.

The criticism was the first maneuver by the 120-seat Golkar faction after Akbar was named a suspect in the Rp 40 billion scam. As the largest party, PDI-Perjuangan has 153 seats in the House.

But faction chairman Marzuki Achmad was quick to deny speculations that the criticism was simply political revenge.

"This is a preliminary evaluation. We all know Golkar is having a hard time, but we don't want to ignore public suffering," Marzuki said at the media briefing.

Golkar's long list of gripes of Megawati's leadership ranges from the nepotistic appointment of her husband Taufik Kiemas to lead a recent ministerial delegation to China to the inconsistent plan in raising fuel prices.

The PDI Perjuangan faction and the third largest faction, the National Awakening Party (PKB) faction, have been the factions most ready to endorse the establishment of a House special inquiry on Akbar.

Legislators from Golkar are lobbying other party leaders to halt the establishment of an inquiry team. PDI Perjuangan secretary-general Sutjipto and the chairman of the fourth largest party, the National Mandate Party (PAN), Amien Rais, acknowledged that they had been lobbied by Golkar legislators.

However, officials from the United Development Party (PPP) and PKB said they had not been lobbied by Golkar.

"Perhaps, they think it's useless to talk with us," PKB leader Ali Masykur Musa told The Jakarta Post.

Despite the lobbying sessions, no clear conclusion had emerged from the talks.

Chairman of the military faction Budi Harsono maintained its previous stance, saying that the legal process must be observed closely during the investigation of Akbar.

During the media conference, most of Golkar's leading figures attacked virtually all the government's policies, especially those that had allegedly deepened public suffering, such as the hike in fuel prices, telephone rates and daily essentials.

Touching on the appointment of Taufik Kiemas by President Megawati to lead a ministerial delegation to China, Chairman of Commission I for foreign affairs Ibrahim Ambong said it could damage the role of the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

"We must prevent another ill-conceived policy from happening. We have to keep our state administration on track," he added.

Fellow legislator from Commission IX for financial affairs Paskah Suzetta said the inconsistency in the government's plans to raise fuel prices had led to widespread fuel stockpiling by speculators.

With regard to the length of the delay, Paskah said the longer the delay the higher the deficit to the state budget.

He also criticized the Rp 15 trillion hike in fuel subsidies allocated last year from an estimated Rp 53 trillion to Rp 68 trillion.

"It means the government is incapable of managing the fuel subsidies," he said.