Four legislators face dismissal in Banyumas

Four legislators face dismissal in Banyumas

Agus Maryono, The Jakarta Post, Purwokerto

The Banyumas Regency Legislative Council (DPRD) in Central Java
province has recommended that four of its members be dismissed
due to disciplinary misdemeanors.

DPRD Speaker Tri Waluyo Basuki said the recommendation was
issued during a plenary session of the council on Wednesday.
However, he declined to name the four accused legislators.

Three of the local legislators were believed to be members of
the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), and
the fourth is from the Crescent Star Party (PBB).

The PDI Perjuangan legislators were identified only by their
initials as MK, STKN and DAR, while the PBB's member was named as
Husen Al-Kaf. Husen has been accused of deceiving the public by
using a forged academic certificate.

"We have given the four names to the leaders of their
respective political parties. It is impossible for us to maintain
them as DPRD members due to their actions," Waluyo said.

He further said the legislators were often absent from duties
as they spent 90 percent of their time outside the DPRD.

Waluyo argued that based on DPRD regulations, legislators who
breached the council's disciplines were subject to punishment.

Any punishment should be imposed by a special body dealing
with violations committed by the legislators in question, he
added.

It is common in Indonesia that many legislators in both the
central and regional legislative councils abandon meetings and
other sessions, and instead busy themselves in their personal
business affairs.

Some come to their office to sign the attendance book but
leave the council meeting after several minutes.

Such disciplinary offenses have started to irk House of
Representatives leaders in Jakarta, who have promised to take
firm action against any violators.

Activists from several non-governmental organizations and
analysts have urged some legislators, including President
Megawati Soekarnoputri's husband Taufik Kiemas, to quit the House
for frequently failing to attend House sessions.

Apart from that, Taufik's resignation would prevent a conflict
of interest between him as a member of the House and his wife in
the executive body, observers said.