Akbar inquiry is not first priority, legislators say
Akbar inquiry is not first priority, legislators say
A'an Suryana and Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
After giving a tepid response to the setting up of an inquiry
team to investigate House Speaker Akbar Tandjung, legislators
said on Tuesday that they were not in a hurry to decide on the
issue.
Legislators interviewed by The Jakarta Post on Tuesday said
that Akbar's case was not a priority as there were still too many
bills and other "urgent" agenda items the House of
Representatives (DPR) had to deal with immediately.
"We have no idea when the 10 factions will present their final
stance on the issue and it all depends on the priority the House
will take," said Julius Bobo of the 153-strong Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan).
Ironically, Julius was one of the 50 legislators who filed the
petition to set up an inquiry team to investigate Akbar's alleged
involvement in the case in which he has been declared a suspect
by the Attorney General's Office.
Compared with the treatment the same legislators gave to
corruption allegations against former president Abdurrahman "Gus
Dur" Wahid, the legislators's response to Akbar's corruption
charge is somewhat halfhearted.
Legislators needed only six weeks to determine the inquiry
team to investigate Gus Dur. The petition was filed on July 13,
2000 and by Aug. 30, legislators had unanimously agreed to
establish a pansus (special investigation committee) into Gus
Dur.
In Akbar's case, on the other hand, the petition was submitted
on Oct. 23, 2001 and, three months later, the legislators are
still wondering if they will establish an inquiry team to
investigate the Golkar chairman.
Gus Dur was accused of misappropriating Rp 35 billion in funds
of the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) but never declared a
suspect, while Akbar is charged with receiving Rp 40 billion of
Bulog funds and has been declared a suspect by the Attorney
General's Office.
Julius declared that the whole process on Tuesday was "nothing
abnormal," emphasizing that the final decision would be made by
legislators collectively.
Commenting on the drastic change, legislator Effendi Choirie
of the National Awakening Party (PKB) simply said that anything
could happen in politics.
A House steering committee is to convene on Thursday to decide
when the 10 factions in the House will hold a plenary session to
decide if they will form an inquiry team.
"However, it all depends on the lobbying by political parties
at Thursday's meeting of the steering committee," he said.
Fellow legislator from the Reform faction Imam Addaruqutni
said on Tuesday that his faction would scrutinize the progress of
negotiations between PDI Perjuangan and Golkar, the second-
largest faction with 120 members.
The 41-seat Reform faction is one of those opposing the
establishment of an inquiry committee in the House.
In the meantime, Golkar deputy chairman Slamet Effendy Yusuf
claimed on Tuesday that lobbying by his party to foil the
establishment of the inquiry committee had so far achieved
satisfactory results.
"There are some positive points, including the case of Akbar
Tandjung," he told the Post.
Slamet acknowledged that his party had lobbied other parties,
including PDI Perjuangan.
The initial lobbying took place at Regent Hotel two weeks ago,
but so far there was no follow up yet.
"There is nothing wrong with lobbying, since indeed, the
function of political parties is to lobby," he said.
Slamet reiterated that the need for an inquiry team was no
longer relevant.
"Recommending that Akbar be prosecuted through legal channels
will be the final result of the inquiry committee. Today, we have
seen that Akbar is being prosecuted through legal channels, so
the committee is no longer necessary.
In the meantime, Agun Gunandjar Sudarsa of Golkar added that
House Commission II would on Wednesday hear an explanation from
Attorney General M.A. Rachman on progress in the legal processing
of Akbar.