Akbar shows off force ahead of graft talks
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung is mobilizing support from local party leaders to block his political opponents' bid to have his financial scandal exposed by a team of legislators.
Akbar, who is also House Speaker, met with leaders of the party's 30 provincial chapters loyal to his leadership across the archipelago to solicit political support.
Akbar allegedly misused Rp 40 billion in state money while he was state/cabinet secretary in 1999. The Attorney General's Office has questioned him as a witness.
The scandal has threatened the very existence of Golkar, the nation's second party, if Akbar is found guilty. Electoral laws have set the maximum donation that a party may accept at Rp 150 million.
In a press briefing attended by most of the local party leaders, Akbar said they would take all possible measures to defend the existence of the party.
Akbar claimed there had been "systematic efforts" by his political foes to discredit the party as part of rivalry leading to the 2004 elections.
"We have no other choice," but to take defensive action, Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung said in a prepared statement. Akbar continued that the party would mobilize its 24 supporters to defend the party.
The gathering was more like a "show of force." The House of Representatives will convene on Jan. 21 to decide whether or not to form a special team to probe Akbar's role in a Rp 54.6 billion financial scandal.
"There is no need to form such a team because the legal process is underway at the Attorney General's Office," Akbar said.
The regional Golkar leaders said that they backed the legal process at the Attorney General Office into his involvement in the funds from the State Logistics Agency (Bulog).
Akbar added that public opinion on his alleged involvement had led to character assassination and used targeted to discredit his party.
The scandal revolves around the covert disbursement of money from a food-for-the-poor project in 1999, while Akbar was state secretary/minister under the government of then-president B.J. Habibie.
The Attorney General's Office had declared former chief of Bulog Rahardi Ramelan as the main suspect.
Habibie, Akbar, and former Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Haryono Suyono's status are witnesses.
Rahardi has disclosed that he had given Rp 40 billion to Akbar originally allocated for a food aid project, and Rp 10 billion to former Military Chief Wiranto to finance civilian militias.
The remaining Rp 4.6 billion was used to settle the land swap deal with PT Goro Batara Sakti, owned by Hutomo Mandala Putra.
The party provincial of leaders pledged loyalty to Akbar and vowed support for his leadership until 2004.
The pledge may be a relief for Akbar, who faces dissent in his leadership. He said that the next national party congress will take place in 2004.
Among Akbar's confidants present at the press conference were Mahadi Sinambela, Agung Laksono, Fahmi Idris, Theo L. Sambuaga, and secretary-general Tuswandi.
None of the political foes within Golkar, like A.A. Baramuli, Marwah Daud Ibrahim or Yasril Ananta Baharuddin were present.