Akbar ready to lead Golkar from behind bars

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Golkar Party chairman Akbar Tandjung has been anticipating the worst in his appeal of the Central Jakarta District Court's verdict wherein he was sentenced to three years for corruption.

During his trip to Balikpapan for party business, Akbar, who is also the House of Representatives speaker, said he was ready to lead the party from his prison cell if his appeal failed.

"If I serve my jail sentence because the Supreme Court upholds the lower court's verdict, I will manage the party from prison," Akbar said, to the cheers of hundreds of Golkar supporters attending the party function on Sunday, even though most of the nation was in a state of mourning due to the tragedy in Bali.

When he was detained at the Attorney General's Office cell for more than one month earlier this year, Akbar kept his top position in Golkar intact.

The Central Jakarta District Court found Akbar guilty of embezzling Rp 40 billion from the State Logistics Agency when he, as the minister/state secretary, claimed he had used the money to feed poor people in 1999, but the project never took place.

The court apparently believed that the state funds were kept by the contractor who was working for the Raudatul Jannah foundation which Akbar had apparently appointed to organize the phantom humanitarian program. Although many believe the money went to Golkar for its 1999 election campaign, prosecutors refused to investigate such a possibility.

The court also failed to order Akbar to serve his jail term immediately, a decision critics said was against the principle of equality of all before the law.

Akbar has been facing mounting demands from both inside and outside Golkar to step down following the court sentence.

Commenting on several senior Golkar members who are now demanding his resignation as the party's chairman, Akbar said he respected their opinions but would not comply.

"Such a demand is normal in a democracy and I appreciate it," he said as quoted by Antara.

He said he was not worried about reports that opposition groups within Golkar were already discussing his successor. He expressed optimism that Golkar supporters would stay solidly behind him.

"Certain groups are hoping that Golkar will break up. Some of them have even committed violent acts against the party's offices in a number of regions. Golkar, however, remains as solid as ever," he claimed.

Akbar said on Friday that any dissenting Golkar members who opposed his chairmanship would face "stern measures" if they continued to voice their opinions. Golkar executives Marwah Daud Ibrahim, Agung Laksono, Theo Sambuaga and Fahmi Idris are among those who suggested that Akbar step down for the sake of the party's bid to win the 2004 elections.