Amien backs committee to probe Akbar

Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Amien Rais expressed his support on Monday for several legislators' suggestions to set up a special committee at the House of Representatives to probe the alleged misuse of the State Logistics Agency (Bulog)'s non-budgetary fund.

If it is approved by the House factions, the committee will investigate the irregular use of Bulog's funds, valued at Rp 40 billion, during the time Akbar Tandjung was a state secretary under former president B.J. Habibie in 1998.

"If Abdurrahman Wahid fell from presidency in connection with the similar use of Bulog's non-budgetary funds amounting to Rp 35 billion, it should also be that way too in Akbar's case," Amien told the media after meeting with chief editors at the legislative building.

Abdurrahman was toppled from his presidency by the Assembly after the House censured him twice when its special committee found that he played a role in the illegal disbursement of Rp 35 billion in Bulog funds.

Legislators from the National Awakening Party have taken the lead in establishing the House special committee, which political analysts consider a retaliation for the unseating of Abdurrahman.

But Amien said the formation of a special committee was up to the 10 factions in the House.

"It is up to the factions in the House. If it is established, I agree that it should look fair, but if it is not, the legal process which was started at the Attorney General's Office should not be stopped," he added.

Meanwhile, former Bulog head Rahardi Ramelan said the Bulog non-budgetary funds were disbursed to then state minister/ secretary Akbar Tandjung in late February or early March 1998 after it was agreed at a limited Cabinet meeting.

The funds were used to finance social safety programs under the coordination of the state minister/secretary.

Rahardi said he did not know how the funds were used as Bulog did not have the authority to monitor them.

"My duty finished after the funds were received by the state minister/secretary," Rahardi told SCTV television in an interview on Monday.

Amien said Akbar should not worry about the plan for the establishment of a special committee as he would be safe if he or the Golkar Party did not misuse the funds.

"If Akbar did not use a single cent of the funds, he will be safe. It will be proven both by the special committee and the Attorney General's Office."

Amien said the sooner the investigation was conducted the better, and that all the evidence could be gathered.

"I only hope that the attorney general will act fairly and transparently and go through the right procedures," said Amien, who is also the chairman of the National Mandate Party.

Previously, Akbar denied misusing the Rp 40 billion in funds, saying that all the money went to the poor under the state- sponsored social safety net program conducted by various ministries through their foundations.