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.