Akbar prepared to clarify housing savings scandal

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)