Akbar Tandjung should resign

Akbar Tandjung should resign

From Sinar Pagi

The calls for Akbar Tandjung's resignation from his position as Speaker of the House of Representative (DPR) have been strengthened by the decision to appoint him as a suspect in a corruption case wherein he is charged with abusing Rp 40 billion in non-budgetary funds of the State Logistics Agency (Bulog).

The latest calls for Akbar's resignation came from chairpersons of the Golkar Group for Indonesia's Eastern Region AA Baramuli and Mme Marwah Daud Ibrahim.

I believe that Akbar is still morally upright as he can still accept what is just and take criticism. I know Akbar personally. He is far from emotional.

Akbar must be able to take the case as a lesson, consult his family about the problem and fully concentrate on seeking facts and legal data to prove him not guilty.

As a normal human being he must be harmed by the case, but as a former chairman of the Islamic Student Association he must know well Yunus:57 of the Koran, which says: "God has given lessons to you and remedies for diseases in your heart as well as directives and mercy to the faithful believers."

There is an organ in the human body -- if the organ is good, the whole body is good, but if it is bad, the whole body is also bad. The organ is our heart.

Akbar's case is a bitter lesson for Golkar. He must be responsible for his deeds. Therefore, I propose that Akbar Tandjung should resign and hope that he will be prevented from lying.

DARIUS THALIB

Padang, West Sumatra