Akbar must be alienated from public: Observer
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A motion in the House of Representatives (DPR) to suspend Speaker Akbar Tandjung had proven ineffective, therefore the public should mete out their own punishment by alienating the convicted felon, an analyst said Wednesday.
Political analyst J. Kristiadi of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) doubted that the House would ever settle the issue, given the prolonged debate and frequent delays in the talks about the validity of the petition of no confidence against Akbar, who was sentenced to three years in jail for corruption, but remains free pending appeal.
The House leaders concluded on Tuesday that their internal rules did not contain regulations required to suspend Akbar. They returned the matter back to the House Steering Committee (BAMUS).
Kristiadi alleged that the petition drive was merely a melodrama for the benefit of those legislators who made it public.
He emphasized that the public could not rely on the House to suspend Akbar, therefore the public should find its own form of punishment.
"Never expect a suspension (from the House). It will be more feasible for the public to give him no space or time in the public spotlight. He (Akbar) must be alienated," Kristiadi said.
As the minister/state secretary under the administration of President B.J. Habibie, Akbar was convicted of misusing Rp 40 billion (at the time over US$ 5 million) belonging to the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) in 1999 for a food-for-the-poor program. Many believe the money went to his Golkar Party's campaign coffers.
He appealed the verdict, a move that helped him evade prison for the moment.
Since the verdict was handed down, over 100 legislators initiated a petition of rejection against Akbar's leadership. The move, however, faced strong resistance from Akbar's loyalists and allies from other parties.
The House also rejected earlier this year -- before the court's verdict -- a motion to establish a special committee of inquiry into Akbar's alleged role in the misuse of Bulog funds.
The petition against Akbar was submitted on Sept. 16, but the proposal remained uncertain. Many believe the frequent delays in the debate on the proposal was a result of backroom deals among the elite political leaders.
Kristiadi suspects that the deals were designed to secure the general elections in 2004.
Meanwhile, several legislators promised to continue the motion by pushing the Steering Committee to cut short the procedure and bring the proposal to a plenary meeting.
They said the motion by nearly 118 legislators must not be terminated simply by a conclusion from the House's leaders meeting.
Chairman of the National Awakening Party (PKB) faction Rodjil Ghufron branded the conclusion as unethical because it was made at a meeting presided over by Akbar himself.
"Therefore, that conclusion is not binding," Rodjil told the press at his office here on Wednesday.
Fellow legislator from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) Panda Nababan concurred with Rodjil, saying the Steering Committee would continue its tasks by discussing the issue.
Both legislators were commenting on the conclusion of the leaders meeting announced by deputy House speaker Muhaimin Iskandar on Tuesday.
Akbar told fellow legislators on Wednesday to stop the motion against him.
He reiterated that the House's leaders meeting on Tuesday had concluded that there was no regulation on a motion of no confidence against a House speaker.
"Therefore, it can't be followed up further," Akbar added.
Meanwhile, legislator Firman Jaya Daeli of PDI Perjuangan rejected Akbar's statement.
Firman said the conclusion taken during the House's leaders meeting was not binding. "It was only an opinion. We may or may not accept that," said Firman, deputy secretary of PDI Perjuangan faction.