Embattled Akbar pays high cost of survival
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A group of about 68 legislators has set in motion a process to oust Speaker Akbar Tandjung from his cozy leadership position.
They believe that Akbar, who has been sentenced to three years in prison for corruption but remains free pending the outcome of his appeal, is no longer fit and proper to lead.
Akbar, professing innocence, has refused to step down, and has managed to remain in office because his Golkar Party still has clout, being the second-largest faction in the House.
A petition by the 68 House members was submitted in September. Not surprisingly, it met strong opposition from the Golkar faction. Akbar also used his prerogative to block the petition from being discussed at a plenary session for as long as he could by resorting to technicalities.
House rules state that any motion from members must be discussed by the 76-strong steering committee (Bamus), which determines the House agenda.
Representatives of Golkar and its allies in Bamus made sure that the motion was defeated before it reached a plenary meeting.
Akbar also flexed his political muscle to get the House leadership to issue a statement that House rules did not provide for a mechanism to unseat a serving speaker.
Golkar also intensively lobbied PDI Perjuangan, the largest faction in the House, chaired by President Megawati Soekarnoputri, to stop the motion, spearheaded by Dwi Ria Latifa, a lawyer-turned-politician.
Ria is a former member of the team of lawyers for Megawati-led PDI over the bloody incident of July 27. She is known for being straight and not willing to compromise.
In one incident, she walked out of a meeting that was presided over by Akbar to make a point.
The incident came at the end of a plenary meeting on Nov. 29 to endorse the bill on the establishment of a commission for the eradication of corruption. Just as Akbar took over the chairmanship of the session, she interrupted the proceedings and walked out.
"It is ironic that after endorsing the bill on a commission for the eradication of corruption, the plenary meeting is headed by a leader sentenced to three years in prison for corruption," Ria said while abruptly leaving the room.
Her walkout was followed by that of Ida Fauziah from the National Awakening Party (PKB).
Akbar appears to be on strong ground, at least for now.
One source said Akbar had met with Megawati's husband, Taufik Kiemas, on several occasions, asking that he use his influence to stop Ria and her campaign to oust the speaker.
Taufik, however, was not interested, saying that Ria was mature enough to know what she was doing. "What can I do?" Taufik was quoted by the source as saying.
Ria is optimistic that her campaign might yield something.
Whether she succeeds in ousting Akbar or not, one question is certain.
The entire episode of Akbar's corruption case has tainted his image and undermined his political future.
He may have survived the various attempts at impeaching him, but his credibility is fast waning.
Many within Golkar who now perceive him to be a liability are busily maneuvering to get him replaced as their chairman before the 2004 general election.