Akbar's political career ruined

Akbar's political career ruined

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Muhammad Nafik, The Jakarta Post,
Jakarta

Moments after the Central Jakarta District Court declared
House of Representatives speaker Akbar Tandjung guilty of
corruption, legislators from major political parties consolidated
themselves to decide their stance against the convicted
corruptor, with most wanting to oust him.

The country's major parties, the Indonesian Democratic Party
of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and National Awakening Party (PKB),
called on their fellow members put the wheels in motion once
again for a vote of no-confidence against Akbar.

"The legislators now have a moral obligation to start the
movement to suspend Akbar from his position as people's
representative," PDI Perjuangan faction chairman at the House Roy
B.B. Janis told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

He underlined that although there was no regulation
specifically in place that could be used to dismiss Akbar, it
would be damaging for the country's image to have a convicted
corruptor as House speaker, and thus something needed to be done.

Anticorruption activist Teten Masduki said that it was only a
logical consequence that Akbar should give up his position at the
legislature following the verdict.

"As a political consequence, Akbar should resign from the
House and should be arrested," Teten remarked.

Already, he said, the House had lost all trust and integrity
in the eyes of the public, and Akbar's conviction would only
worsen that image should he remain totally unpunished by both the
courts and the House.

Earlier, another legislator from PDI Perjuangan, Pramono Anung
Wibowo, also called for Akbar's suspension during the House
plenary session.

"The House should immediately respond to the verdict by
forming the disciplinary committee because Akbar should be
suspended until the case (appeals process) is closed," said
Pramono, who is also PDI Perjuangan deputy secretary general.

PKB faction secretary Amin Said Husni said that his faction
also pushed for Akbar to step down following the verdict.

"If Akbar remains in his position as House speaker it will
degrade the credibility of the House and it should not happen,"
Amin said.

He further underlined that there should be agreement among the
factions on what steps should be taken by the House against Akbar
after the court verdict.

Akbar, nevertheless, was unmoved, and said after the court's
session that he would not step down from his positions as House
speaker or chairman of the Golkar Party, the second largest
faction in the House.

Akbar's political career may be finished as a result of
Wednesday's verdict. He was seen as a strong candidate for the
2004 presidency and nearly won the vice presidential post last
July when he was instrumental in the ouster of president
Abdurrahman Wahid on dubious grounds, as well as Megawati
Soekarnoputri's rise to the presidency.

Megawati, the chairwoman of PDI Perjuangan, had repeatedly
said that she would not allow her party to vote for any
disciplinary action against Akbar. She said that she had faith in
the integrity of the country's legal system to make the best
possible decision in the case.

Her commitment to that was proven when she blocked the House's
intention to set up a special committee to probe Akbar's graft
case earlier this year.