Akbar prepared to clarify housing savings scandal
JAKARTA (JP): House of Representative Speaker Akbar Tandjung said on Monday he was prepared to clarify his alleged role in irregularities found in a housing savings scheme.
Speaking to journalists after arriving in Jakarta from Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi, on Monday, Akbar said he was collecting information and data on the savings scheme and looking for the right time to publicly explain the graft allegations leveled against him.
"I will give an explanation about the scheme in the near future and I have already ordered my staff to gather data and information about it," Akbar said.
The National Awakening Party (PKB) faction at the House of Representatives announced its plan to file an inquiry motion to look into irregularities found in the scheme. This followed a report by the Supreme Audit Agency on the alleged misuse of Rp 180 billion in funds from the government-sanctioned Civil Servants Housing Savings plan.
The scheme was begun during Akbar's term as state minister of public housing between 1993 and 1998. According to presidential decree, the scheme fell under the control of the state minister.
"I do not mind if PKB wishes to exercise the right of inquiry, but please use it proportionally. Besides, the case should have been handled by the Attorney General's Office," Akbar said, adding that he would not hamper any investigation by the attorney general.
Akbar, who chairs the Golkar Party, said he suspected political motives were behind the move to open an inquiry into his alleged role in the graft.
He said the maneuver was inspired by the House's overwhelming support for the interpellation motion to question President Abdurrahman Wahid, who cofounded PKB, over his decision to dismiss Jusuf Kalla and Laksamana Sukardi as minister of trade and industry and state minister of investment and state enterprises empowerment, respectively.
"Such a move provides a bad precedent in our political life. People will think that all politicians are eager to attack each other and that being a politician is not wise a option," Akbar remarked.
Akbar is among the crop of current politicians who served during former president Soeharto's New Order regime. He twice served as a Cabinet minister under Soeharto, but resigned from the Cabinet during the brief presidency of B.J. Habibie early last year.
Meanwhile, the rector of state-run Jendral Soedirman University, Rubiyanto Misman, described the motion of inquiry as an effort to exact revenge against Akbar. He predicted, however, the maneuver would backfire on PKB.
"I think this is an act of revenge on the part of PKB because of the poor relations between it and Golkar. A party has the right to defeat its opponents, but PKB will not benefit from its latest move at all," Rubiyanto said in Purwokerto, Central Java, on Monday.
He called the action useless "nit-picking" because most of the country's current political elite had committed mistakes in the past, and it was more important now to look to the future. (dja/45)