Akbar in detention

Akbar in detention

That the detention on Thursday of Akbar Tandjung, speaker of
the House of Representatives and chairman of the Golkar Party,
elicited such raw skepticism from the public of the government's
true intentions, speaks volumes about the current psyche of the
Indonesian people.

After all, ever since the movement for democratic reform got
going in 1998 and views could be aired freely, Indonesians have
been clamoring for justice -- and especially for the corrupt.

Akbar's detention could have been interpreted as a logical
development, coming as it did so quickly on the heels of the
detention of Rahardi Ramelan, the former head of the national
logistics agency, Bulog, in connection with the same case.

The scandal involved suspected the misapplication of tens of
billions of rupiah, dispensed at Rahardi's controversial orders.

At present, Akbar, who was minister/state secretary under
president B.J. Habibie, is alleged to have misused Rp 40 billion
of that money -- intended for the distribution of food packages
to the poor. But investigators have been unable to trace the
money to any kind of food distribution.

Also detained on Thursday was Dadang Sukandar, chairman of the
Raudatul Jannah Foundation, which Akbar had picked to administer
the program, along with project contractor Winfried Simatupang.

On the surface, it seems as if everything has gone according
to the rules of the game. However, questions start to emerge when
one considers the political implications of Akbar's detention.

After all, Akbar, besides being the speaker of the House of
Representatives, is also chairman of Golkar. His party has the
second-largest faction in the legislature, and is a major backer
of President Megawati Soekarnoputri's government.

There can be no doubt at all that the threats Golkar leaders
have been making that the party might withdraw that backing and
pull out of the cabinet in case Akbar was arrested has been heard
clearly in the meeting rooms of Megawati's party, the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan).

The same goes for the United Development Party (PPP), whose
chairman is Vice President Hamzah Haz.

It is for these fears, analysts believe, that the two parties
have been stalling in the formation of a special parliamentary
committee to investigate the suspected scam, known as Bulogate
II.

Keeping Akbar in custody, at least for the time being, could
help them keep up the appearance of being true reformist parties
going all the way to stamp out corruption, while evading an
immediate decision on investigating the case in the legislature.

For all parties involved, however, there are political risks
as well as opportunities to consider in handling this
increasingly complex case.

Megawati's party, the PDI Perjuangan and the PPP could lose
Golkar's support, both in government and in the national
legislature, if they persist in unraveling the Bulogate II case
to its roots, as the public would like to see.

On the other hand, staying resolute and proving to their
constituents that they are serious about eradicating corruption
could enhance their image as reformist parties.

To achieve this, however, President Megawati must reach out to
the Indonesian public, and explain her moves and motivations
concerning the matter.

As for Golkar, it is doubtful that this party's stubborn
opposition, and even rejection of Akbar's detention, will do the
party any good in the longer term -- say, in the 2004 general
elections.

Nor can it say, for certain, that withdrawing from the cabinet
would not weaken its chances in the coming elections. Rather than
resisting and making all kinds of threats, the party would do
much better by using this touchy situation to institute the badly
needed reforms.

Finally, to Akbar's credit, it must be said that he seems to
be complying with the law.

As one of his confidants, Hafiz Zawawi, explained it to press,
"Akbar has complied with the law, and has asked his party
executives to follow the law in their legal efforts, and refrain
from tarnishing the party's image."

Sounds sensible enough. Let's hope that his advice is heeded
by his fellow Golkar members.