Akbar's detention schocks Golkar Party

Akbar's detention schocks Golkar Party

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

In the wake of mounting public pressure, the Attorney
General's Office detained House of Representatives Speaker Akbar
Tandjung over graft allegations on Thursday.

Akbar, who chairs the Golkar Party, was supposed to be
incarcerated at Salemba penitentiary in Central Jakarta, but was
moved to a cell in the Attorney General's Office compound for
security reasons, the office's spokesman Barman Zahir said.

"The detention is aimed at expediting the investigation into
Akbar," Barman told a media conference.

Controversy had shrouded the alleged scam, in which Akbar was
alleged to have misused Rp 40 billion of funds belonging to the
State Logistics Agency (Bulog) for food for the poor in 1999.
However, no arrest nor travel ban were imposed on him even after
investigators could not find that food distribution had been
carried out.

Akbar was minister/state secretary when the program was said
to have taken place.

The investigation had also raised eyebrows as another suspect
in the case, the former Bulog chairman and minister of trade and
industry, was detained at the Cipinang penitentiary.

Also detained on Thursday night were two other suspects,
Dadang Sukandar, chairman of the Raudatul Jannah Foundation which
Akbar had picked to conduct the charity program, and contractor
of the project Winfried Simatupang.

One of Akbar's confidants, Hafiz Zawawi, said Akbar had signed
the dossiers relating to his arrest at 11 p.m., after around six
hours of negotiation.

"Akbar has complied with the law and has asked his party
executives, in their legal efforts, to observe the law and
refrain from tarnishing the party's image," Hafiz, a Golkar
legislator, said.

Hafiz's statement contradicted the fact that Akbar had refused
to sign the documents just after the questioning ended earlier in
the afternoon.

An upset-looking Akbar canceled a media conference and tried
to drive away with his bodyguards, one of them asking an employee
of the Attorney General's Office to open the gate.

The compound gate was blocked by military police trucks and
Akbar returned to the Attorney General's Office.

Due to the apparent resistance, security troops prevented both
employees of the office and outsiders from leaving or entering
the compound.

During the negotiations, 120 members of the Golkar faction at
the House offered their personal guarantee to persuade the
Attorney General's Office to place Akbar under city or house
arrest.

Akbar reportedly called President Megawati Soekarnoputri to
seek her help.

One of Akbar's lawyers, Tommy Sihotang, denied the reports and
said no deal had been made between his client and the President.

He said Akbar did not perceive any political motive behind his
arrest.

The arrest was made hours after the House had agreed to delay
until March 18 a vote to decide on whether a special committee of
inquiry into Akbar's role in the scandal should be formed.

Akbar's detention also came a day after four members of
the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) met
with party chairwoman Megawati, who hinted at her approval of
Akbar's detention.

"Megawati said that the Attorney General must not be
discriminatory in enforcing the law. Everybody should be treated
equally before the law," one of the legislators, Dwi Riya Latifa,
told The Jakarta Post.

Latifa, along with Amien Aryoso, Panda Nababan and Agustin
Teras Narang, went to Megawati's residence on Jl. Teuku Umar on
Wednesday night to submit the draft of the PDI Perjuangan
faction's stance to be presented at the House plenary session.

Megawati has repeatedly revealed her preference for a legal
process rather than a political process in the House, which could
lead to a no-confidence vote against Akbar.

Despite his status as a suspect in the scam, Akbar has refused
to step down from his position as the speaker of the House, one
of the highest state institutions in the country. He has argued
that in compliance with the principle in Indonesia of presuming
someone to be innocent, being a suspect does not mean he is
proven guilty.

Golkar, under Akbar's leadership, has also dismissed the
demand for Akbar's resignation, saying that there are no rules or
regulations stipulating that being a suspect should prevent an
official from retaining his post.

Progress of Akbar's graft case

Oct. 8, 2001: Akbar implicated in a Rp 54.6 billion
Bulog fund scandal

Jan. 7, 2002: Akbar declared a suspect

Feb. 5, 2002: Akbar's first questioning as a suspect

Feb. 11, 2002: Akbar's second questioning

March 7, 2002: Akbar's third questioning,
Akbar detained at the Attorney General's Office.